PBOPAaATIOK BY GEAEXING. 



213 



M 



grafting is one of the most expeditious and certain of any 



in general use, not only wliere small seedling stocks and 



roots are employed, but also for top-grafting young trees 



in the nursery. It may also be used upon quite large 



stocks, provided they have been preyiously headed back 



and have thrown out thrifty branches upon 



which tbe cions can be conveniently spliced. 



In splice grafting, in the open air, waxed 



cloth should be used for ligatures, to prevent 



the breaking away of the cion before it has 



become firmly united ; but when the grafting 



is done inside, or upon pieces of roots which 



will be planted out in spring, strong waxed 



paper may be used, or even bass, and no wax. 



Sometimes a ligature of bass is used, and 



then melted wax is applied with a brush, to 



cover the wounds on the joint between cion 



and stock. In some forms of root grafting 



it is desirable to place the cion so low down 



that it will eventually take root and become 



capable of supplying itself with sustenance 



through its own roots, instead of through 



those of the original stock. Under such 



conditions only very short pieces of roots are 



employed, as they are intended only to serve 



a temporary purpose, usually dying when the cion has 



produced roots for self-support. 



All the other modes, such as the splice, cleft, crown, 

 side and saddle grafts, may be used on roots as well as on 

 the stenis and branches of woody plants, and, as a rule, 

 the larger and stronger the stock, the more vigorous will 

 be the growth of the cion. But while rapid and vigorous 

 growth is usually desirable, it should be kept in mind 

 that no cion can utilize more nutriment sent forward by 

 the stock than its leaves can assimilate ; consequently, if 

 the roots of a stock upon which a cion is set gather more 



