36 Graftinrj. 



BUSHBERG CATALOGUE. 



Grafting. 



The improved whip-grafting, or the "Cham- 

 pin-graft" (la greffe Champin), we will de- 

 scribe by a free translation of that chapter of 

 his book treating thereon : 



Let us operate first on a rooted plant or a 

 rooted internode ; with the pruning shears, or 

 better still with the knife, cut off the top as 

 close as possible below an eye or joint at the 

 collar. After the top has been taken off there 

 remains but little difference between a plant 

 and a rooted joint.* With a coarse rag wipe 

 off all sand and grit from that portion of the 

 shoot to be grafted. Then with a grafting- 

 knife, which should be simple and strong, with 

 a very thin, but wide, and not too long blade 

 (see Fig. 52), make a nice, straight and regular 



G 



Fig. 52. 



slit or cleft, from above downwards, and at one- 

 third or one-fourth of the diameter (1 to 2J 

 inches in length), according to the size of the 

 subject (Fig. 53). Then, holding the stock in 

 your left hand in the manner shown in Fig. 54, 

 with the palm of the hand turned up, cut the 

 thickest part of the split end to an exact smooth 

 level, of equal length as the cleft, as shown in 

 Fig. 55. 



Fig. 54. 



Fig. 53. 



By "rooted joints " (inerithulle rncine* Mr. Chauj- 

 pin designates portions of a cane, layered the previous 

 summer, which has sent out roots from itsdifferent eyes 

 or nodes. For grafting purposes, it will be seen, these 

 rooted internodes answer all purposes ii they have good 

 strong roots, even though no top growth has pushed 

 from the eyes which were buried iu the ground. 



Fig. 55. Fig. 5H. 



This operation is not at all difficult ; but, in 

 order to perform it easily, it requires a very 

 sharp knife, ground to a fine edge from the 

 upper side only. 



The graft or scion, which should be selected 

 as nearly as possible corresponding in size or 

 thickness with the stock, and generally with 

 two eyes, is prepared, split and cut precisely in 

 the same manner as the stock, except only, of 

 course, that the cleft and level will be at the 

 lower extremity instead of at the upper. (See 

 G, Fig. 55.) 



Having thus prepared both stock and scion,, 

 it is a very easy matter to unite and adjust 

 them, as shown by Fig. 56, taking care that 

 the bark of both fit together exactly and snug- 

 ly, at least on one side. 



The graft is now ready for the tie, which 

 should be of some stong pliable material. Lin- 

 den-bass is very good, but any small, strong 

 twine will answer. In France, " Raphia," the 

 product of a palm leaf, is used very extensively 

 for this purpose. The tie should be adjusteoL 

 firmly. 



