Grafting 



foliage, its early flowering and the structure 

 of its fruit. 



We will notice, as a curiosity, the associa- 

 tion of several kinds of fruit on the same 

 plant. By means of grafting the same tree 

 may bear almonds, apricots, peaches, plums 

 and cherries simultaneously, because any of 

 these five species may be grafted on any other 

 of them. Another may bear at the same 

 time pears, quinces, medlars, and service 

 berries. These results are very curious, 

 though not of any practical interest. It 

 would be unnecessary to mention them 

 except for the fact that they afford valuable 

 information. They show that if by grafting 

 shoots from another plant are added to a 

 tree, its growth is not affected by the new- 

 comers. Whether children of the tree, or 

 strangers, the shoots develop and bear flowers 

 or fruit according to their own nature, with- 

 out copying in any way the habits of their 

 neighbours. Among the curiosities that have 

 been obtained by means of such an artificial 

 association, based on the independence of 

 the shoots, we may mention a pear-tree on 

 which every variety of cultivated pear had 

 been collected by grafting. Whether sour 

 or sweet, dry or juicy, large or small, green or 



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