2 



THE ART OF 



individual character and constitution distinct : their layers cf 

 wood and bark continue to be developed without the fibres 

 and vessels of one converging with those of the other. It is, 

 as it were, a federative union which leaves to the interested 

 parties their independence. Not unfrequently the union of 

 the grafted pieces suffers a clean severance at the point of 

 contact, either in consequence of the weight of the branches, 

 the violence of the wind, or some other casualty. However, 

 the parts thus broken may be used again, either as stocks or 

 grafts, just as before. Almost all dicotyledonous plants may 

 be grafted. Up to the present the monocotyledonous plants 

 have been tried without success. Their structure does not 

 present the least capacity for the adhesion of the parts when 

 put together; and without this intimate union, grafting is 

 impossible. 



OBJECT OF GRAFTING. 



The object of grafting is — 1st. To change the character of a 

 plant, by modifying the wood, the foliage, or the fruit which it 

 was required to produce. 2nd. To excite the development of 

 branches, flowers, or fruit on the parts of a tree where they 

 are deficient. 3rd. To restore a defective or exhausted tree 

 by the transfusion of the fresh sap of a vigorous kind. 4th. 

 To bring together on the same stem the two sexes of 

 monoecious plants, in order to facilitate their reproduction. 

 5th. To preserve and propagate a great number of woody or 

 herbaceous plants for use or ornament, which could not be 

 reproduced by any other means of multiplication. Without 

 grafting, our orchards would not contain such rich collections 

 of fruits for all seasons ; our forests would be without a large 

 number of important kinds of trees ; and we should not 

 experience the pleasure of seeing in our parks such a brilliant 

 array of native and exotic shrubs. There remains one more 

 observation to be made in favour of grafting, that is, that the 



