OF GEAFTING. 



331 



eiently open for the introduction of all the wedge-part of the scion ; 

 this should be done in such a manner that the inner bark of the stock 

 may correspond with that of the scion. But as we cannot always judge 

 when this is the case, it is better that the liber of the scion should be 

 slightly outside that of the stock rather than in contact with the young 

 wood. The graft being properly placed, we cover the wound with a 

 mixture of equal parts of fresh loam and cow-dung ; but it is better to 

 do over the parts with the resinous composition used for covering large 

 wounds of trees. This composition consists of 500 grains of Burgfundy 

 pitch, mixed with 125 grains each of common black pitch, rosin, and 

 wax, the whole well melted together, and should be applied most espe- 

 cially to the eye of the scion next the top of the stock, in order to 

 secure it against insects and bad weather^ When the sap is put in 

 motion, the resin liquifies sufB.oiently to permit the growing shoot to 



pass freely through it. 



Cleft drafting with one Scion, the Stock cut Horizontally (Fig. LVIII.). 



This mode is much used for large tuberous roots, herbaceous stems, &c., 



on which we graft, successfully, 



herbaceous stems and others ; but 



it is bad for woody plants in all 



cases where the stocks are as thick, 



or thicker, than the little finger, 



because their tranverse horizontal 



section is difficult to heal. For 



small shoots it is well adapted. 



When we employ this mode of 



grafting on herbaceous stems or 



branches, they ought to be cut 



above a, leaf, or young branch, 



opposite to which the cleft should 



be made ; and these small produc- 

 tions from the stock immediately 



below its section ought to be pre- 

 served almost entire until such 



time as the graft shall have com- 

 pletely taken. The young shoot is 



split on one side (see Fig. LVIII. a) ; 



and the scion is introduced. If it 



should happen that the latter is 



too large for the stock, and its 



fibres are not sufficiently elastic to 



permit the scion to be inserted, we shave one or two small parings off 



the cleft, so as to give it a triangular form (see Fig. LVIII. 6) ; in this 



case we also modify the form of the scion, so that it may fill exactly 



the opening prepared for it. 



Fig. LVIII. 



