G R A F T I N G. 



lintil it is firmly uniteil with the (lock, nor is the head of the 

 flock or branch, which is grafted, cut off till the fame time, 

 and only half the wood pared off with a (lope, about three 

 inches in length, and the fame of the fcion or graft. But in 

 this method of grafting, the operation is not performed fo 

 earlv in the fealon as the others ; it being done in the month 

 of April, when the fap is flowing, at which time the fcion 

 and flock will join together, and unite much fooner than at 

 any other feafon or period of the year. It is priacip:Jly 

 employed in raiting jafmines, oranges, and other exotic trjes 

 of the harder kinds. 



By experience it has been found, that the walnut, fig, and 

 mulberrv will take by this method of grafting, while nei- 

 ther of them fucceed in any of the other modes. Several 

 forts of evergreens may hkewifc be propagated by this me- 

 thod of grafting ; but all the trees that are grafted in this 

 way are weaker, and never grow to the fize of thofe which 

 are grafted in the other methods ; therefore it is rarelv prac- 

 tiled, except on fuch forts of trees as will not take by the 

 Other methods of performing the operation. 



R-:oi -Grafting. — This, which is a late improved mode, is 

 performed by cutting the clean fmooth roots of the flocks in 

 pieces of five or fix inches long, and as large, or a little larger, 

 than the graft; then they are whip-grafted, and tied toge- 

 ther very dole, fo as to prevent the wet from afPefting the 

 wounded parts, planting them fo deep as that the graft, 

 which fhould be four or five inches long, may be about half 

 buried. In this way, the grafts themfelves will root, and a 

 nearer fimilitude be preferved to the tree, whence the grafts 

 are taken ; and after two or three years, the flock may be 

 cut quite away, ai.d the graft left to maintain itfelf In prac- 

 tifinj this method, the grafts fhould be an inch or tv.'o longer 

 than the others. 



Scafon of Grafting. — The period or feafon for grafting 

 fh'/ald always be regulated by the flate of the weather. 

 From the climate being fo Uiicertain in the fpring, it is bed 

 to defer it till the circulation of the fap is briflc, and the buds 

 of the ilocks begin to break into leaves, attention being had 

 that the weak ikoots of tender trees will not admit of being 

 fo long cut as the more hardy, and that the operation fhould 

 never be performed while it a6\ually freezes or rains, or there 

 is fnow uron the ground. 



Proper Grafts. — In providing thefe, care fhould be taken 

 that they are ihootsof the former year, as vshen they are older 

 they never fucceed well ; that they be alr.-aj'S taken from 

 healthy fruitful trees, as when the trees are fickly from 

 whence they are taken, the grafts often partake fo much of 

 the di'ilemper, as not to get the better of it, at lead for iome 

 years ; that they be not taken fi-om voung luxuriant trees, 

 whofe veJels are generally large, continuing to produce luxu- 

 riant (hoots, and feldom proving fruitful ; and that they be 

 taken from the lateral or horizontal (hoots, rather than the 

 peroendicular on^s. They fhould be cut oft from the trees 

 before their buds be.in to fwell, which is mollly three weeks 

 or a month b fore the feafon for grafting; confequently when 

 they are cu: off, thev fl\o".ld be laid in the ground, with the 

 cut part downwards, burying them half their length, and 

 covering their tops with dry litter, to prevent their dr^'ing ; 

 if a fmal! joint of the former year's wood be cut o.T with the 

 fjion, it will prefervc it the b' :.er, and when they aregraft- 

 '1 d, this may be cut oil ; for, at the fame tinej the fcions 

 nufl lie cut to a proper length before thev are inferfed in 

 the flocks ; but, till then, the fhoots fhould remain of their 

 full length, as they were taken from the tree, w hich will 

 better preferve them from fhritiking : when the fcioris are to 

 be carried to a confiderable di!^ mce, it will be proper to put 

 tkcir ends into a lump of clay, and to wrap them up in 



mofs, which will prefervc them frefli for a month or longer : 

 but thefc fhould be cut off from the trees earlier than thofe 

 wliich are to be grafted near the place where the trees are 

 growing. It is, ho.vever, always the bell pradicc to cut 

 the grafts as near the time of their being inftrt-d into the 

 ftocks as poffiblc, as by that means they fucceed witli much 

 more certainty. 



Stocis proper for Grafting upon. — The ftocks are the trees 

 or plants for grafting upon ; which arc either fiich old tree., 

 as are already growing »here they are to remain, but the 

 fruit of which is intended to be chnngcd ; or fuch youag 

 trees as have been raifed in the nurfery as a fupply to the 

 garden. In the former cafe, there is no other choice than 

 that of the branches, which fhould b^ f ;cli as are young, 

 healthy, well-fituated, and have a fmooth bark. Where 

 thefe trees are growing againfl walls or efpaliers, it will be 

 proper to graft fix, eight, or ten branches, according to the 

 fize of the tree, by which they will be much fooner fnmilh- 

 ed with branches again, than when a lefs number of fhools 

 or fcions are put in ; but in ftandard trees, four, or at moll 

 fix fcions will be futficient for the purpofe. 



In choofing young flocks for grafting upon, fuch as 

 have been raifed from the feed, and that have been once 

 or twice tranfplanted, (hould always be fixed upon for the 

 purpofe. 



After thefe, thofe ftocks which have been raifed from cut- 

 tings or layers Ihould cotiflantly be preferred ; but thofe 

 which are fuckers from the roots of other tree* fhould be 

 rejefted, as they are never fo well rooted as the others, and 

 conilantly put out a great number of fuckers from the roots^ 

 by which the borders and walks of the garden will be al- 

 ways peflered during the fummer feafon. Thefe, befides 

 being unfight'.y, take off part of the nourifhment from the 

 other trees and plants. 



And where thefe (locks have been allowed a proper dil- 

 tance in the nurfery where they have grown, the wood will 

 be better ripened and more compaifl than" thole which have 

 grown clofe, and have been drawn up to a greater height. 

 The wood of thefe will be foft, and their vefiels large ; fo 

 that the fcions grafted into them will (lioot very ftrong ; btK 

 they will be lefs difpofed to produce fruit than the others ; 

 and when trees acquire a bad habit at firll, it is difHcult to 

 reclaim them afterv.-ards. The Ilocks moll adapted to each 

 fort will be explained under their particular genen, and in 

 confidering the nature of Ilocks. See Stocks. 



Impl'in nts pro^sr for the ll^arl. — Thefe are principally .1 

 neat fmall hand-faw, for cutting off the heads of largp 

 ftocks ; a good llrong knife, with a thick back, to make 

 clefts in the ftocks ; with a (harp pen-knife, or budding- 

 knife, to cut the grafts with ; and a grafting chlffel and 

 fmall mallet. Other forts of implements arc fometimes ne- 

 ceffary in performing particular forts of grafting. 



But befides thefe tools, other forts of materials are want- 

 ed in performing the bufinefs, fuch as bafs-llrings, or wool- 

 len yarn, to tie the grafts with ; and a quantity of good 

 tough clay, which fhould be prepared a month before it is 

 wanted, and kept turned and mixed, like mortar, every other 

 day, in the following manner : 



A quantity of ilrong good clay, in proportion to the 

 quantity of trees intended to be grafted, flioiild be provided, 

 and fome new well-fed horfe-dung broken in among it ; and 

 if a little ftraw or hay be mixed amongll it, it will hold to- 

 gether the better. The addition of a quantity of fa!t will 

 alfo prevent the clay from dividing in dry weather. Thefe 

 Ihould be ftirred and mixed together, putting water to them 

 occafionallv, in the manner of making mortar. The whole 

 Ihould be hollowed like a di!h, filled with water, a:d kept 



erery 



