THE VINE AND ITS FKUIT. 



233 



buds below the top. Then take a corresponding 

 piece off the stock, notch the two together as in 

 whip grafting, bind tightly, and apply a little clay 

 or grafting- wax, which some prefer, as being less 

 likely to hold moisture, and so retard the union by 

 inducing the formation of stem-roots. When the 

 vines intended for grafting are very strong, they 

 should be allowed to get into full growth before the 

 grafts are put on, and the latter should be placed in 

 the house to swell the buds at least a fortnight before 

 the operation is performed. By this means grafts 

 can be attached to any part of a bearing vine, as the 

 bottles, which should be kept constantly full of soft 

 water, can be suspended from the trellis ; but the 

 most satisfactory result always follows grafting on 

 one of the principal canes through which the sap 

 flows freely. It is no unusual occurrence for a well- 

 selected graft to burst the bottle with its roots, and 

 to carry a bunch of good grapes from the "second bud 

 the first season, while the first or terminal bud is 

 throwing up a leader capable of overtopping twenty 

 to thirty feet of rafter. 



Inarching, or Grafting by Approach. — 



This method of transferring a m-w variety to an 

 estiblished vine is very often resorted to by private 

 growers, when it is inconvenient or impracticable to 

 plant in established borders already well filled with 

 roots. 



The operation is so simple and easily understood that 

 it is only necessary to say the stock and scion should 

 be started at the same time and brought on together. 

 When strong enough, the latter, which is in a pot, is 

 placed in a convenient position for uniting with the 

 stock. This is done by taking a thin slice of the 

 green bark off each shoot and binding them together 

 with soft bast. A few days will be sufficient to form 

 the union, when the ligature may be loosened, but 

 not entirely removed, lest by accident or strong 

 growth the tender union may be disturbed. When 

 thoroughly established, the stock may be cut back to 

 within one or two buds of the union, but not nearer, 

 as protecting ties should be kept above and below 

 until the end of the season. As soon as the union is 

 complete, and the young growth shows by its 

 strength that it is deriving nourishment from the 

 stock, it may be partially cut through below the 

 working, and eventually detached from the pot vine. 



Budding. — The bpst time to bud the vine is 

 when the young wood of the current year has at- 

 tained its full size, and is beginning to change colour 

 for ripening. The variety from which the buds are 

 to be taken should be equally advanced, as the latter 

 must be full, plump, and well formed, with a good 

 fresh leaf at the base. Unlike the Peach or the Eose, 



it is not necessary to remove the wood from the 

 shield, provided the latter is taken off rather thin, 

 and the union with the stock is very neatly and ac- 

 curately made, by taking as much bark and wood off 

 the stock as will admit of the cambium of the two 

 coming into close contact with each other. In order 

 to secure success, the operation should be expedi- 

 tiously performed on a dull day or evening, otherwise 

 the bai'k of the bud will get dry and the latter will 

 perish. When properly placed, the buds must be 

 firmly tied with soft bast or yarn (Fig. 11), and a 

 little damp moss placed above 

 and below, but not covering 

 the bud, will keep the leaf- 

 stalk fresh until the union is 

 complete. 



When the vines show 

 signs of ripening off their 

 foliage, and there is no 

 longer any danger of the 

 bud, which is to remain 

 dormant all the winter, 

 breaking into growth, the 

 shoots beyond must be 

 shortened back to within 

 one or two eyes and dressed 

 with styptic at pruning 

 time. 



When the vines break in 

 the spring, the one or two 

 eyes beyond the bud will 

 require stopping at the 

 second leaf, and as soon as 

 the inserted bud gets into 

 free growth, their entire re- 

 moval will be advantageous. 



If it is thought desirable 

 to insert a number of buds on the whole length of 

 a young cane, they can be introduced alternately 

 about twelve inches apart, great care being observed 

 in the preservation of the buds and foliage of the 

 vine so operated upon, as well as of the leaves of 

 each bud. When all is finished, a little light shade 

 and gentle syringing for a few days, to keep the 

 moss and fohage damp, will facilitate the union. 



G-r een-budding. — E xperiments have pro v ed th at 

 buds in a state of semi-ripeness may be successfully 

 inserted on shoots of the current year which have 

 attained tbeir full size, but are not so ripe as to be 

 past "running"— a term well understood by the 

 craft, but which may require some explanation for 

 the benefit of the amateur. In other words, the sap 

 must be sufficiently active to admit of the bark 

 parting from the wood after an incision has been 

 made with a sharp knife. It is important that the 



Fig. 11.— Budding. 



