118 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



gin to open. The peach, grafted in this way early in the 

 season, succeeds perfectly at the South, but generally fails 

 north of Virginia. Stone-fruits of all kinds must be 

 grafted earlier than apples, pears, etc., as their sap seems 

 to lose all agglutinating properties after its first flow. 



Graft them just as the buds are about to swell, but for 

 most other species the best time for grafting, except in the 

 root, where the scion will be protected by the earth cov- 

 ering it, is while the buds are swelling in the spring. If 

 put in before that time, the alternate freezing and thawing 

 to which they are exposed often destroys the vitality of 

 the graft. Apples, pears, etc., may be grafted until 

 they blossom, if the scions are kept perfectly fresh, and 

 have not started. Grafting succeeds perfectly well just 

 before the second growth, early in August, if the sap is 

 thrown into the graft, by rubbing off the other shoots as 

 they appear; but it is just as well to wait until spring, 

 there being no gain in the growth of the graft over those 

 put in at the usual season. 



Whip, or Splice Grafting, This mode is applicable to 

 all small stocks, and succeeds best where the scion and 

 stock are exactly the same size. Both stock and scion are 

 cut off with a sloping cut about an inch and a half long 

 on each, so as to match precisely, if of the same size ; or, 

 if not, at least on one side. A tongue is then made by 

 slitting the scion upward, and the stock downward, which 

 is raised on each and fitted into the slit of the other 

 holding the scion firmly in its place ; bind it closely with 

 the cloth covered with the composition. The engravings, 

 figures 46 and 47, (next page,) show the different steps of 

 the operation. It is the neatest, most expeditious, and 

 most successful mode of grafting, where the stocks are 

 of the proper size. Stocks, three-fourths of an inch in 

 diameter, or even an inch, may be grafted in this way, but 

 for inch stocks cleft grafting is preferable. 



