394 



SCIENCE OF GARDENING, 



Part II. 



^^%gg-^ 



sloped part is cut over horizontally near the middle of the slope ; a cleft nearly two inches 

 long is made with a stout knife or chisel in the crown downwards, at right angles to the 

 sloped part, taking care not to divide the pith. This cleft is kept open by the knife. 

 The scion has its extremity for about an inch and half, cut into the form of a wedge, it is 

 left about the eighth of an inch thicker on the outer or back side, and brought to a fine 

 edge on the inside. It is then inserted into the opening prepared for it ; and the knife 

 being withdrawn, the stock closes firmly upon it." If it be intended to graft any pretty 

 large stocks or branches by this method, two or more scions may be inserted in each. The 

 stock being prepared by cutting over as above, cleave it across in two places parallel and 

 at a small distance apart, and insert a scion in each cleft : or by cutting or sawing the 

 head off horizontally, and smoothing the section, a radiated series of clefts may be made, 

 and scions inserted in each. 



2030. Crown-grafting is another mode adopted for thick stocks, shortened branches, or 

 headed down trees. It is sometimes called grafting in the bark or rind, frdm ths scion 

 being inserted between the bark and wood. This, mode of grafting is performed >rkh 

 best effect, somewhat later than the others, as the motion of the sap renders the bark and 

 wood of the stock much more easily separated for the admission of the scions. In per- 

 forming the operation, first cut or saw off the head of the stock or branch, horizontally or 

 level, and pare the top smooth ; then having the scions, cut one side of each flat and some- 

 what sloping, an inch and half long, forming a sort of shoulder at the top of the slope, to 

 rest upon the crown of the stock ; and then raise the rind of the stock with the ivory 

 wedge, forming the handle of the budding-knife (jig- 1 10.) ; so as to admit the scion be- 

 tween that and the wood two inches down ; which done , place the scion with the cut side 

 next the wood, thrusting it down far enough for the shoulder to rest upon the top of the 

 stock ; and in this manner may be put three, four, five, or more scions, in one large stock 

 or branch. It is alleged as a disadvantage attending this method in exposed situations, 

 that the ingrafted shoots for two or three years are liable to be blown out of the stock by 

 violent winds ; the only remedy for which is tying long rods to the body of the stock or 

 branch, and tying up each scion and its shoots to one of the rods. 



2031. Side-grafting (Jig. 379. c) resembles whip or tongue grafting, but differs in 

 being performed on the side of the stock without bending down. It is practised on wall 

 trees to fill up vacancies, and sometimes in order to have a variety of fruits upon the 

 same tree. Having fixed upon those parts of the branches where wood is wanting to 

 furnish the head or any part of the tree, there slope off the bark and a little of the wood, 

 and cut the lower end of the scions to fit the part as near as possible, then join them to 

 the branch, tie them with bass, and clay them over. 



2032. Saddle-grafting is performed by first cutting the top of the stock into a wedge- 

 like form, and then splitting up the end of the scion and thinning off each half to a 

 tongue shape ; it is then placed on the wedge, embracing it on each side, and the inner 

 barks are made to join on one side of the stock, as in cleft-grafting. This is a very 

 strong and handsome mode for standard-trees when grafted at the standard-height. It is 

 also desirable for orange-trees, and rose-standards, as it makes a handsome finish, covering 

 a part of the stock, which by the other methods, long remains a black scar, and some- 

 times never becomes covered with bark. The stocks for this purpose should not be much 

 thicker than the scions, or two scions may be inserted. 



2033. A local variety of saddle-grafting (fig. 379. d, e, f) is thus described by Knight, as 

 practised upon small stocks, and almost exclusively in Herefordshire. It is never at- 

 tempted till the usual season of grafting is passed, and till the bark is readily detached from 

 the alburnum. The head of the stock is then taken off by a single stroke of the knife 

 obliquely, so that the incision commences about a diameter below the point where the me- 



