Grafting the Orange. 



27 



Experience has long induced me to raise my stocks intended 

 for oranges from the seeds of the lemon. These, when two 

 years old, are fit to receive the grafts. For two months before 

 this operation, they are kept in a cool situation, and only 

 protected from frost, where they remain till about ten days 

 previous to the 1 st of May, the proper season for grafting. A 

 hot-bed composed entirely of leaves is prepared for them, in 

 which the stocks are placed in a temperature of from 68 to 72 

 degrees. The scions being selected, they are steeped in milk- 

 warm water for about five minutes ; the stocks are cut down 

 to within three inches of the surface of the mould, with one 

 stroke of the knife, in a sloping direction, leaving a smooth 

 surface about an inch in length, on which the graft is properly 

 fitted, and immediately and accurately secured by bass ; after 

 grafting they are replaced in the hot-bed for about six weeks, 

 and during the first fortnight are kept constantly shaded and 

 closely shut up from air, except only at such times as the frame 

 is opened for the purpose of giving water, which should always 

 be given in a lukewarm state. 



In a fortnight or three weeks the stocks and scions will be 

 found united, the bass may now be removed, and the plants 

 allowed a little air, but with care for the first few days, at 

 the same time shading from the sun. The air may be pro- 

 gressively increased, until it reaches the usual temperature of 

 the orangery, where they may then be placed. 



I attribute much of this expeditious success, to the fine ge- 

 nial heat which arises from a bed of oak leaves ; its sweet and 

 humid quality is peculiarly suitable 

 to vegetation, and in such cases as 

 this is absolutely necessary. So for- 

 tunate have I been in this practice, 

 that out of nearly ten dozen plants 

 only two failures happened. 



Lemons, citrons, and shaddocks, 

 I treat exactly in the same way, 

 and with corresponding success : 

 but what I would particularly call 

 your attention to is the compara- 

 tive excellence of the lemon stock 

 over that of the orange; and, in 

 order to prove this satisfactorily, I 

 have sent you two portraits taken 

 indiscriminately from among many 

 others; the one (Jig. 14.) is an 

 orange, on an orange stock, and the 



