BRANCH GRAFTING. l^'J 



numerable fuckers or fcions to ftart through the bark, which, 

 together with the grafts, give fuch energy to vegetation, that 

 in the courfe of the fummer the tree will be aftually covered 

 over by a thick foliage, which enforces and quickens the due 

 circulation of fap, Thefe, when combined, fully compel the 

 roots to work for the general benefit of the tree. 



In thefe experiments I judged it proper to make choice of The moft luxu- 

 grafts from the forts of fruits which were the moft luxuriant in fg^rgd/"' ' ^'*' 

 their growth, or any new variety, as defcribed in the feven- 

 teenth and eighteenth volumes of the Society's Tranfadtions, 

 by which means a greater vigour was excited ; and if this 

 obfervation is attended to, tliepra6litioner will clearly perceive, 

 firom the firft year's growth, that the grafts would foon ftarv^ 

 the fuckers which (hoot forth below them, if they were fuffered 

 to remain*. With a view to accomplifli this grand object of 

 improvement, I gave much attention, as I have before obferved, 

 to the general pra6lice of invigorating old trees ; and I happily 

 difcovered the error ofthecommonmodeof engrafting but a fliort 

 diftance from the trunk or body, as in Fig. 1. PI. VIII. There 

 the circumference of the wounds isas large as to require feveral 

 grafts which cannot firmly unite and clafp over the ftumps, 

 and confequently thefe wounds lay a foundation for after- 

 decay. If that were not the cafe, yet it fo reduces the fize 

 of the tree, that it could not recover its former ftate in many 

 years, and it is dubious if it ever would ; whereas, by the 

 method of extreme grafting, as Fig. 3, the tree will be larger, 

 in three or four years, than before the operation was performed. 

 For all the large branches remaining, the tree has nothing to 

 make but fruit bearing wood ; and from the beautiful verdure 

 it foon acquires, and the fymmetry of the tree, no argument 

 is neeeflary to enforce the pradice. 



Fig. 2 was my firft experiment about eight years fince. The 

 error of No. I was there a little amended, and gave me the 

 idea of engrafting at the extremity. Permit me to remark, 

 that thofe done in my orchards, on the plan of Fig, 2, did 

 not, neither were they able to bear fo many apples laft feafon, 

 which was a bearing year, as thofe on the plan of Fig. 3, 



* This thought (hould be feept in fufpence, as ten years hence 

 it may appear otherwife. However, they will be valuable trees, 

 and highly profitable, as will any other brought "under the fame 



fyftem* 



wl.ich 



