44 FRUIT GARDEN. 
of these expedients is to retard the descending sap, and 
thus promote the formation of radicles, or young roots. 
This is also aided by bending the branch upward from the 
point at which the roots are wanted ; and the whole branch, 
except a few buds at the extremity, is covered with soil. 
The seasons best fitted for these operations are early in 
spring and about midsummer, that is before the sap begins 
to flow, and after it has completely ascended. One whole 
summer, sometimes two summers, must elapse before the 
layers can be expected to be fully rooted, or ready to be 
taken off. 
Propagation by Grafting —When a shoot or young 
branch of one tree is inserted into the stem or branch of 
another, and, by the influence of vegetation, is made to 
coalesce with it, the process is termed grafting. In this 
manner apple and pear-trees are commonly propagated ; 
plum and cherry-trees are sometimes also grafted, but these 
last are most generally propagated by budding. Our 
attention must here be directed to the stocks into which the 
shoots or cions, as they are called, are inserted; to the 
cions themselves, and to the mechanical operations em- 
ployed in grafting. 
The stocks should be of the same genus to which the 
graft belongs, or, at least, of close affinity in natural family. 
The following are the principal kinds of stocks, including, 
by anticipation, such as are used in budding. For apples, 
seedlings of the crab apple, layers of the doucin or paradise, 
and of the codlins, with cuttings of the bur-knot varieties. 
For pears, seedlings of the common and wilding pear ; with 
seedlings or layers of quince. For plums, seedlings of any 
of the common sorts, particularly the Brussels and the 
Brompton ; also the Bullace plum. For cherries, seed- 
lings of the small black cherry or gean, Prunus Avium; 
