THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



47 



reason that it should not be extended to other fruit- 

 trees, and it has been so applied to Grape-vines, &c. 

 Of course, the closer the affinity between the different 

 scions used, the less effective for obstruction or 

 interference in double or multiple grafting. Hence, 

 as there is considerable disparity of structure and 

 rate of growth between the Pear and the Quince, 

 the introduction of a piece of Quince wood between 

 the seedling or wilding and the bearing Pear has 

 been found to increase the fertility of the latter. 

 Again, some Pears on the Quince grow indifferently ; 

 and a free-growing Pear immediately over the root of 

 the Quince, and this again worked with the desired 

 variety, has been found to answer well. The late 



duce those intermediary Pears between the two, and 

 the weakly-growing Pears become strong, while the 

 sterile sorts, such as Jargonelles, JBergamots, &c, 

 become fruitful. 



Fig. 32 gives an illustration of double grafting. 

 The base of the tree, a, is Quince, worked with the 

 intermediary Pear, Beurre d'Amanlis, b, to insure 

 growth. This is worked the following year with 

 Maria Louise or any other Pear, c, and it is found 

 that growth and fertility are thus nicely matched, 

 and the result gives great satisfaction. Of course 

 multiple grafting may be carried to any extent, 

 though in actual practice it has seldom been carried 

 further than double grafting. 



Pig. 32.— Double Graft. 



Fig. 33.— Branch Grafting. 



Mr. Thomas Rivers, of the Sawbridgeworth Nur- 

 series, Herts, the originator of this method of culture, 

 saw in it the germ of the greater stability of Pears 

 on the Quince, and of freer growth and higher 

 fertility for many varieties. Since the death of this 

 gentleman, to whom we are indebted for so many of 

 our fine modern Peaches and Nectarines, less has 

 been heard of the practice, and double-grafted Pear- 

 trees are seldom offered in the trade lists. Still the 

 practice is full of scientific interest, and of practical 

 results of great importance. Among the more 

 notable failures of Pears on the Quince are the Maria 

 Louise, Knight's Monarch, the fine old Aromatic 

 Pear, the Seckle or Trout, Gansel's, and other 

 Bergamots, Jargonelles, and some of the new Pears, 

 such as Victoria and British Queen. Per contra, some 

 Pears, such as Beurre d'Amanlis, Conseilleur de la 

 Cour, Prince Albert, &c, take so freely on the 

 Quince, and live so long on it, that they have become 

 as it were the missing link between the Quince and 

 those Pears that refuse to grow freely on it. Intro- 



Branch. Grafting. — This is more a mode of 

 culture than a means of propagation, but it will be 

 most convenient to advert to it here. It differs from 

 other grafting in little excepting the place and the 

 object of it. The place is on one or several of the 

 side branches, and the object generally is to resusci- 

 tate dilapidated trees with a fresh stock of wood, 

 or substitute several varieties for one ; also to fur- 

 nish barren branches with fruit-buds. In Fig. 33 

 all these objects of branch grafting are illustrated. 

 So soon as the scions are thoroughly established, 

 the original branch is cut off at the cross dotted 

 line near to a. The branches b, c, are treated in the 

 same way, and on each a different variety of Pear is 

 used. In this way, and by working each separate 

 branch with a distinct sort of graft, a useful collec- 

 tion of Pears may be grown on one espalier oi 

 wall tree. The other side of the tree is treated in 

 quite a different way, to illustrate the mode of 

 furnishing semi-barren trees with fruit-buds, as ex- 

 plained presently. 



