March.] THE NURSERY. 255 



of the stock; and in this manner you may put four, five, or more 

 grafts as may seem convenient into each stock, and bind them 

 round with strong bass. 



When the grafts are all thus fixed you must immediately apply 

 a good quantity of well-wrought clay, bringing it close about the 

 stock and grafts, observing to raise it at least an inch above the top 

 of the stock in a rounding manner, so as to throw the wet quickly 

 oft", and prevent its lodging or getting into the work, which would 

 ruin all. 



This method of grafting is sometimes called shoulder-grafting, 

 and grafting in the rind, and was much more in practice formerly 

 than at present; for although the grafts take freely they are liable 

 to be blown out by strong winds after they have made large shoots, 

 which has frequently happened after three or four years" growth, 

 so that when this method is practised, the evil must be remedied 

 by tying some firm sticks to the body of the stock or branch that 

 is grafted, to which the young shoots must be tied, or they must be 

 made fast to some convenient support that will answer the same 

 end; or even tying them to one another, should the grafts take on 

 opposite sides of the stock, will answer a good purpose. 



This kind of grafting may be performed a week or ten days 

 later than the other methods; for it will prove most successful if 

 done when the sap begins to be in active motion, as then the bark 

 of the stock will separate from the wood more freely to admit the 

 graft. 



When the scions are well taken, treat them as directed under 

 the head Cleft-grafting. 



Fourth, by Side- grafting. 



This is done by inserting grafts into the sides of the branches 

 without heading them down, and may be practised upon trees to 

 fill up any vacancy, or for variety, to have several sorts of fruit on 

 the same tree. 



It is performed thus: fix upon such parts of the branches where 

 wood is wanting to furnish the head or any part of the tree; there 

 slope off the bark and a little of the wood, and cut the lower end 

 of the graft to fit the part as near as possible; then join it to the 

 branch, first tongueing both as in whip-grafting, tie them with bass, 

 and clay them over. 



Fifth, by Root- grafting. 



This is done by whip-grafting scions upon pieces of root turned 

 up about half an inch thick, either as the roots remain or separated, 

 and immediately replanted. 



Here it will be well to observe that grafting is frequently done, 

 and very often with good success, without the assistance of grafting- 

 clay or any other prepared composition. The method is this: head 

 down your stocks near the surface of the ground, and graft them 

 as low as you possibly can; bind them neatly, as in other cases, 



