VI.] 



PROPAGATION. 



149 



Then, at less than half way down this cut, and with the blade 

 of your knife across the cut, the edge downward, cut a very thin 

 tongue of not more than three-eighths of an inch long (plate 3, 

 fig. 1. c). Proceed nearly ia the same way with the bottom part 

 of the scion : cut first a narrow strip of wood and bark out, but 

 not putting the knife in horizontally as you have done with regard 

 to the stock at Jig. 1, a, nor bringing it out straight to the end to 

 make a shoulder or angle, as you have done with the stock at fig- 

 If b ; but making a sloping cut (plate S, fig. 2, a h) of about the 

 same length as the cut in the stock, or a little less, if any thing ; 

 then make a tongue (plate ^,fig. 2 c) to correspond with that in 

 the stock, but recollect that this must be cut upward instead of 

 downward ; then place the scion upon the stock, inserting the 

 tongue of the scion into the tongue of the stock. Bring the four 

 edges of bark, that is, the two edges of the cut in the top of the 

 stock, and the two corresponding edges of the cut in the bottom of 

 the scion, to meet precisely ; or, if the scion be in diameter a 

 smaller piece of wood than the stock, so that its two edges of bark 

 cannot both meet those of the stock, then let only one meet, but 

 be sure that that one meets precisely. Observe well that this 

 can never be, unless the first cut in the stock and that in the scion 

 (plate 3, figures 1 and 2, a and h) be as even as a die, and per-r 

 formed by a knife scarcely less sharp than a razor. Take a com- 

 mon " pruning-knife, and attempt to make a cut of this kind, and 

 you will find, when you come to fit the scion on, that, squeeze 

 them together as you may, you wdll, in most cases, see light 

 between the parts of the stock and the scion that you are trying to 

 join so effectually as that the sap shall flow out of the one and into 

 the other, unconscious of any division at all! But I will not sup- 

 pose anybody so ungain (as it is called in Hampshire) as to go 

 about so nice an operation as this without being prepared with 

 the proper instrument for performing it ; and, therefore, I now 

 suppose the scion put on properly, and presenting the appearance 

 as in plate o, fig. 3. But this is not all : the operation is not yet 

 complete. The two parts thus joined must be bound closely to 

 one another by matting, or bass, as the gardeners call it (pi. 3, 

 fig. 4). A single piece tied on to the stock an inch or so below the 

 part grafted, and then wound closely up till it reach the very top 

 of the stock, will, if well done, almost ensure the junction ; but, 

 lest parching winds should come and knit up all \egetation, it is 



