GRAFTING 23 



fixing and holding the scion in its place. The exact position of these 

 does not greatly matter so long as they correspond, but they should 

 be not too far removed from the top. 



In a great majority of cases, the stock is larger than the scion. 

 The ideal would be to have them of equal size, but the ideal is 

 often the unobtainable. When there is such disparity in size, how 

 is it possible to get the perfect fit we have advocated ? It is obviously 

 impossible, so we have to half the chances and see that there shall 

 be an exact fit at least on one side. In Fig. 10 the scion is about 



X 



Tongue 



The Scion 



FIG. 9 



Scion ready for Stock 



half the thickness of the stock ; bark meets bark down one side, 

 the other side is void, and it is only the flux of time and an abundant 

 sap which can fill that up. 



The foregoing are the principal operations in grafting, but more 

 remains to be done. The binding is as important, probably more 

 important, than we showed it to be in " budding," and it certainly 

 must be as thoroughly and scrupulously done. There is a greater 

 need for constant pressure ; the mutilation is greater, the exposure 

 more, and these have to be obviated by a more generous binding. 

 A long stout strand of raffia best answers the purpose, and if one 



