56 



est confidence of success. The operation is exceed- 

 ingly simple (see figure), and may be performed at 

 any time from January to December (provided you 

 have a good growing heat), not only with young 

 green shoots, but with others more advanced, if not 

 hollow or pithy. The usual manner is to take a 

 scion with six or eight leaves, cut it smooth below the 

 joint, take off one of the lower leaves without injuring 

 the eye, and then cut away a portion (half or three- 

 quarters of an inch) of the skin or fleshy part of the 

 wood between each of the lower eyes. Have ready a 

 good sound piece of tuber of the last or present sea- 

 son (if ripe), in which make a slanting longitudinal 

 incision of one or two inches, according to circum- 

 stances, and about half an inch wide at the top, gra- 

 dually tapering off to the bottom, and fix the scion 

 firmly into it. The root should then be planted in a 

 pot, with the grafted part just below the mould, and 

 placed under a bell-glass, or in a warm close frame, 

 but the former is best. In eight or ten days the 

 union will be complete, and air may be gradually 

 given ; after a short time you will be able to head it 

 down either for cuttings, if in spring, or grafts for 

 summer and autumn. It is advisable to leave at all 

 times four eyes, to ensure a vigorous growth, and 

 also to shift the plant into a larger pot occasionally. 

 The only difficulty will be in the months of November 

 and December, when the plants are liable to damp 



