OF PROPAGATION BY GEAPTING. 223 



even says that lie has succeeded, notwithstanding the 

 great difference in their vegetation, to work the Lilac 

 on the Phillyrea, the Olive on the Ash, and the 

 Bignonia radicans on the Catalpa ; but plants so ob- 

 tained are very short-lived. For some curious parti- 

 culars upon this subject, see Physiohgie Vegetale^ p. 

 788, &c. 



There are two cases apparently at variance with 

 this law ; both of which require explanation. 



1. Columella asserts that, by a particular manner 

 of grafting, the Olive may be made to take upon the 

 Fig tree, and his words have been repeated by many 

 writers ; but Thouin proved, experimentally, that no 

 such union will take place, and that where success 

 appears to attend Columella's operation, it is owing 

 to the scion rooting into the soil, independently of 

 the Fig stock (see Memoire sur la prStendiue Oreffe 

 ColumeUe), and becoming a layer. 



2. Mention is made by Pliny of a tree in the gar- 

 den ofLucullus, which was so grafted as to bear pears, 

 apples, figs, plums, olives, almonds, grapes, &c. ; and 

 at this day the gardeners of Italy, especially of Genoa 

 and Florence, sell plants of Jasmines, Eoses, Honey- 

 suckles, &e., all growing together from a stock of 

 Orange, or Myrtle, or Pomegranate, on which they 

 say they are grafted. But this is a mere cheat, the 

 fact being that the stock has its centre bored out, so 

 as to be made into a hollow cylinder, through which 

 the stems of Jasmines and other flexible plants are 

 easily made to pass, their roots intermingling with 

 those of the stock ; after growing for a time, the hori- 



