210 



FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



rounding ground is under cultivation. Old trees bearing 

 fruit of inferior quality can be cut down early in the year 

 and regrafted; also espalier and wall trees can be reno- 

 vated. 



' The various stocks used in grafting influence the 

 colour and flavour of fruit, and are also adaptable to a 

 greater range of climate and soil than when the plant is 

 dependent on its own roots. Trees bearing many of the 

 finer flavoured fruits are so weakly constituted that, were 



Fig. 79. SCIONS FOR GRAFTING FRUIT TREES. 



D, Bunch buried or heeled in the rig-ht depth in soil to await grafting 1 . 



it not possible to impart strength and longevity by trans- 

 ferring them to stronger-constituted stocks, their cultiva- 

 tion could not possibly be pursued with successful results. 

 Stocks of various kinds can be purchased very cheaply, 

 and are imported in large quantities from the Continent 

 at prices at which it could not possibly repay many home 

 growers to produce them. This, however, is a matter 

 which may be left to the nurseryman, and it is more to 



