OF PROPAGATION BY BUDDING AND GRAFTING. 211 



difference, that in the one case the fragments of a plant 

 are made to strike root into the inorganic soil, and to 

 grow on their own bottom, as the saying is, while in 

 the other they emit the equivalent of roots into liv- 

 ing organic matter. In like manner, the operation of 

 inarching, or causing the branch of one plant to 

 remain attached to its parent, and at the same time to 

 grow upon the branch of another tree, is analogous 

 to layering. 



The objects of these operations are manifold. Many 

 plants, such as the Pear and the Apple, will bud or 

 graft freely, but are difficult to strike from cuttings. 

 Species which are naturally delicate become robust 

 when "worked" on robust stocks; and the conse- 

 quence is a more abundant production of flowers and 

 fruit ; thus the more delicate kinds of Vines produce 

 larger and finer grapes when worked upon such coarse, 

 robust sorts as the Syrian and Nice. The Double 

 yellow Eose, which so seldom opens its flowers, and 

 which will not grow at all in many situations, blos- 

 soms abundantly, and grows freely, when worked 

 upon the common China Eose. (See Hort. Trans, v. 

 370.) The peculiar qualities of some plants can only 

 be preserved by working : this is especially the case 

 with certain kinds of variegated Eoses, which retain 

 their gay markings when budded, but become plain 

 if on their own bottom, (lb. 492.) Fruit may be ob- 

 tained from seedling plants by these processes much 

 earlier than by any others, and thus many years' un- 

 certain expectation may be saved : indeed, Mr. Knight 

 ascertained that it is possible to transfer the blossom- 



