56 PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



to the stock immediately it is detached from the tree. Indeed, a few 

 days are allowed to elapse so that movement of the sap shall become 

 slower in the scion than the stock. The shoots, however, must not be 

 allowed to dry or shrivel up, but may be placed in the soil in a shady 

 place. If they are to be sent away any distance it is a good plan to 

 stick the ends into a Potato tuber or moist clay, or to pack them in 

 damp moss. When, however, the scion is about to be inserted in the 

 stock the end should always be cut so as to have a fresh surface. 



Time to graft. — Except where, otherwise mentioned grafting is 

 usually performed about March. About this time the sap is beginning 

 to rise from the action of the roots, and the bark is more readily opened. 

 The process of uniting also goes on slowly at first and becomes more 

 rapid with the flow of the sap. The shooting of the buds on the scion 

 usually indicates that union has taken place, and the ties should be 

 looked at frequently afterwards, and loosened later on if necessary. 



Relationship of Stock and Graft. — It is important to remember 

 that plants cannot be promiscuously grafted one on another. They 

 must at least belong to the same Natural Order, and should as a rule 

 be closely related. As all the plants described in this work are arranged 

 according to their close relationship with one another it will be easy 

 to avoid making mistakes in grafting one species on to another vsdth 

 which it has no near affinity. It is improbable, for example, that a 

 Barberry (p. 178) could be successfully grafted on an Apple tree (p. 1042), 

 and vice versd. At the same time such practices cannot be prevented, 

 and if they should succeed it would indeed be a wonderful thing. 



Exclusion of Air. — This is another essential point to remember 

 when grafting. If the air is allowed to circulate around the cut 

 surfaces the latter are soon dried up, a film is formed over them, and 

 an effective barrier is thus placed between the cells of the two 

 cambium-layers. Various composts are used to exclude the air, but 

 those referred to below are perhaps the best and most generally useful. 



Grafting Clay and Wax. — This is made of clay well worked up with 

 a little chopped hay and horse or cow manure. If a hole is made in 

 the centre of the heap, water poured in will keep it moist for a long 

 time. It is an easy way of obtaining a good material for placing round 

 grafts. In France a mixture of 28 parts black pitch, 28 Burgundy 

 pitch, 16 yellow wax, 14 tallow, and 14 sifted ashes, is generally used 

 instead of clay. 



Three parts each of resin and bees-wax and two parts of tallow 

 also make a good wax, which' can be used lukewarm for grafts of small 

 or delicate plants. The wax known as ' Mastic I'homme Lefort ' is a 

 clean preparation sold in tin boxes. It may be applied cold and is 



