PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING 



35 



probability is that the dense moisture would cause damping off, 

 or if it did not cause that a few days too long would make the plant 

 inherently weak. Its place is now on the staging, where the additional 

 light and slightly harder conditions will make for strength and 

 consolidation. It must still be shaded against bright sunshine, 

 still be strictly rationed in supplies of air, for it is but an infant, 

 and this is part of the nursing. But it soon becomes innured to 

 its new environment and conditions and asks for more light, more 



FIG. 18 FIG. 19 



After a Fortnight One Month 

 after Grafting 



FIG. 20 



At Six Weeks 



Potted into 5" pot 



air, and these must be gradually increased. Then, seeing how 

 impoverished the soil is in which it is growing (after twelve months 

 of the stock) it begins to hang out signals of distress by the time it 

 has been grafted a month, and a move must at once be made toward 

 providing it with a larger pot and richer soil. A compost is prepared, 

 consisting of one half loam, the other half leaf mould and rotted 

 manure in equal proportions, with an admixture of sharp sand, 

 into which the young, grafted plants now fairly launched on their 

 way are potted (see Fig. 20), the size pot best suited to this stage 

 being 483. or 5-inch. 



