356 DEFECTS OF GRAFTING AND Bt/BJDIVa. 



graft. Indeed as to fastening it, it cannot do so ; for if it 

 does not decay, it is so steeped in sap, and so watery in 

 the new made wood, that it is impossible it can have any 

 strength. It is very certain, that, where the knife is not 

 absolutely necessary, it does the greatest mischief. I have 

 seen gardeners also go on with the same knife from graft to 

 graft, and do great damage in this way, by the decomposi- 

 tion of the iron, and the dirt the inside of the graft con- 

 tracts. It is impossible to conceive how many of these 

 trifles act to the serious detriment of the plant. All these 

 things, the last excepted, budding escapes. 1 have seen 

 awkward grafters put the scion smaller than the stock. This 

 is a serious evil indeed ; for the very way, that nature takes 

 to counteract a plethory in the scion, introduces the rot 

 into the stock. It is a very curious provision of nature; 

 or rather perhaps the consequence of the smallness of the 

 scion; but such a quantity of decay takes place, as wiU 

 leave perfect the size of the scion (See PI. IX, Fig. 3.) The 

 rules of grafting may be found in any common gardening 

 book, I mean not therefore to trouble you with them, but 

 only with the remedies, that, if applied, might cure the 

 defects which the cutting so many grafts has made me per- 

 ceive. The stock should be cut sloping from the scion, and 

 as close as possible, and the plaster should cover the cut 

 ■s well as the graft. The buds excepted of course. 



I am, Sir, 

 « Yours &c. 



AGNES IBBETSON. 



Covcley Cot, IQd October, 1809. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 



Plate IX, Jig. 1. Section of a graft of the copper beech 

 of the second year on a common beech of the third, aaaa, 

 the circle of life leading from the pith of the stock to the 

 pith of the scion, b, the pith of the stock, c, the pith of 

 the scion, d rf, the projecting pieces of the bark and rind. 

 fff, trifling degrees of decay where the wood has not united. 

 ppp, the line of new wood, which is first formed by the 

 copper beech r colouring the sap of the stock, and making 

 St rather pinkr: which proves, that the new wood gains 



ground 



