THE NURSERY-LIST 327 



whole operation is covered with earth, there is no danger of 

 drying up, as is sometimes the case when fruit trees are top- 

 grafted. 



" A very important consideration, to insure success, is to equalize 

 the stock and cion. If, therefore, large stocks are to be grafted, 

 we must have strong, well-developed wood for the cions, and have 

 buds enough to take up the full flow of sap, while small stocks, if 

 used at all, should be grafted with small cions of only two or three 

 buds. When the stocks are strong, I take two cions and insert 

 one on each side of the stock, of full length, say from 14 to 16 

 inches, and with six to eight buds each. This has many advantages. 

 The principal one is that they will elaborate and work up the entire 

 flow of sap. Another is, that if the cions have well-developed 

 fruit buds, they will produce quite a number of clusters from the 

 upper buds, and thus show the character of the fruit the first year. 

 I have picked a thousand pounds of grapes from an acre thus 

 grafted, the first summer, and a full crop of five or six tons per acre 

 the following season. Another advantage is that it establishes 

 the crown of the graft at the right distance from the ground, as the 

 three upper buds will produce the canes for the next season's 

 bearing. If both cions grow, cut off the weakest above the junction 

 the next spring, leaving only the strongest. I generally find that 

 the whole surface of the stock is covered by the new growth, and 

 that the junction between stock and cion is perfect. Another 

 advantage is especially in California, where we plow and 

 cultivate close to the vines, and where some of the workmen are 

 careless they are more apt to run over and disturb the small 

 grafts than the large ones, which are protected by hills of earth 

 above the surface ; nor are the young shoots disturbed and broken 

 so easily by careless hands or high winds. A stake should be driven 

 close to the graft immediately after grafting is finished, and the 

 young shoots, when they appear, tied to it for support, as they 

 generally start vigorously and are easily broken off, or blown off by 

 high winds. Do not be discouraged if some time elapses before 

 they start. I have often had them remain dormant until July or 

 August, and then make a rapid growth. If suckers from the stock 

 appear as is generally the case they should be removed at 

 once, taking care to cut them close to the stock, so as to have no 

 stumps or dormant buds. Tying and suckering should be repeated 

 every week or ten days at least. As long as the cion remains fresh 

 and green it may begin growing at any time. Of course, care 



