STOCK AND SCION MUST GROW AT THE SAME BATE. 351 



to them. The roots may either be at once worked and afterwards potted 

 or planted, or the roots may be potted a short time previous to being 

 worked, being afterwards treated according to the nature of the plants 

 to which they belong, whether stove, greenhouse, or hardy; hut even 

 plants belonging to the latter class are the better for a gentle moist heat 

 for a few days to start them. In this way many plants may be 

 increased, such as Clematis, Berberis, Roses, Combretums, Moutan 

 Pseonies, &c., where the roots of the more common kinds are easily 

 procured, and where suitable accommodation can be afforded; but 

 under ordinary circumstances the chances are against the success of 

 the system, which should only be resorted to in the case of very rare 

 plants. 



Mere propagation is, however, hj no means tlie only object 

 of the grafter ; another and still more important one is, to 

 secure a permanent union between the scion and stock, so that 

 the new j)lant may grow as freely and as long as if it were on 

 its own bottom under the most favourable circumstances. If 

 this is not attended to, the hopes of the cultivator will be 

 frustrated by the early death of his plant. 



Whenever the stock and graft or bud are not perfectly well 

 suited to each other, an enlargement always, as is well known, 

 takes place at the line of their junction, and generally to 

 Some extent either above or below it. This is particularly 

 observable in Peach-trees which have been budded, at any 

 considerable height from the ground, upon Plum stocks ; and 

 it would seem to arise from the obstruction which the descend- 

 ing sap of the Peach-tree meets with in the bark of the Plum 

 stock; for the effects produced, both upon the growth and 

 produce of the tree, are similar to those which occur when the 

 descent of sap is impeded by a ligature, or by the destruction 

 of a circle of bark. In course of time this difference between 

 the scion and stock puts an end to the possibility of the 

 ascending and descending fluids passing into. each other, and 

 the death of the scion is the result. This arises ia part at 

 least from the power of horizontal growth in the stock and 

 ■scion being different ; and in part no doubt from irreconcileable 

 constitutional difference between the two. For example : the 

 Hawthorn and the Pear are so nearly allied that the latter may 

 be easily worked upon the former; the Hawthorn is, however. 



