HISTORY OF THE APPLE. 31 



Among the early writers upon the subject of pomology, 

 we find some very crude notions, particularly in regard 

 to the wonderful powers of the grafter, for this art of im- 

 proving the Wilding by inserting buds or scions of bettet 

 sorts, and thus multiplying trees of good kinds, was a 

 very ancient invention. Pliny, the naturalist, certainly 

 deserves our praise for his wonderful and comprehensive 

 industry in all branches of natural history. In regard to 

 grafting, which seems to have been well understood in his 

 day, he says, that he had seen near Thulise a tree bearing 

 all manner of fruits, nuts and berries, figs and grapes, 

 pears and pomegranates ; no kind of apple or other fruit 

 that was not to be found on this tree. It is quaintly noted, 

 however, that "this tree did not live long," is it to 

 be wondered that such should have been the case ? N*ow 

 some persons may object to the testimony of this remark- 

 able man, and feel disposed to discredit the statement of 

 what appears so incredible to those who are at alt ac- 

 quainted with the well-known necessity for a congenial 

 stock into which the graft should be inserted. But a 

 more extended knowledge of the subject, would explain 

 what Pliny has recorded as a marvel of the art. The 

 same thing has been done in our own times, it is a trick, 

 and one which would very soon be detected now-a-days 

 by the merest tyro in horticulture, though it may have 

 escaped the scrutiny of Pliny, whose business it was to 

 note and record the results of his observations, rather 

 than to examine the modus of the experiment. By the 

 French, the method is called Charlatan grafting, and is 

 done by taking a stock of suitable size, hollowing it out, 

 and introducing through its cavity several stocks of dif- 



