so 



THE ART OF 



season, after the heavy frosts have passed, the head of the 

 stock should be cut down to within about 4 inches above the 

 place where it is intended to insert the graft. At the time of 

 grafting it is cut finally, or else the wood is simply trimmed 

 by slightly reducing the length of the stock, so that the graft 

 may be placed in contact with a living and healthy part. 

 Side-grafting does not require the removal of the head of the 

 stock. It is sufficient that the part which is to receive the 

 graft should be clear, and that the shoots for 4 inches above 

 and below it be cut away. The upper branches will then 

 continue to draw up the sap, and the lower ones will promote 

 the growth of the stock. In summer graftings, the stocks 

 should be trimmed a month beforehand. The flow of the 

 sap, which is diminished by this operation, will then have had 

 time to recover its activity, and will contribute to the success 

 of the graft. But cutting oh superfluous branches a week 

 or so before grafting would be followed by a check in the 

 flow of the sap at that time, which would be very detrimental to 

 the uniting of the parts of the graft. It would be better not 

 to cut them till the moment of grafting, as the junction would 

 be complete before the vegetation had suffered much abate- 

 ment. These operations should be performed with keen-edged 

 tools, and by a skilful workman, who would neither bruise the 

 stock nor leave stumps full of supplemental buds. Resinous 

 trees do not require this preparatory treatment. With the 

 exception of bushy kinds, stocks grafted low down the first 

 year of their planting have seldom any branches to be removed. 

 It is sufficient to wipe with the hand or a rag the place which 

 is to receive the graft. Usually, grafting is performed on a 

 low stem, which has been shortened down to 10 inches at 

 the time of planting. In grafting briars, any prickles that 

 are in the way should be removed, as well as any buds of 

 the stock that might come under the bandage. This is done 



