92 



THE ART OP 



blunted, in order to facilitate its slipping in smoothly. We may 

 remark, as a useful hint to beginners, that the operator has 

 more power and command of his implement if he keeps his 

 elbows close to his sides. "Whether the stock be entire or 

 provisionally headed down, it is finally cut at the moment of 

 the operation at the place destined to receive the graft, in 

 order that the grafting may be performed on a freshly-cut 

 surface. When the saw or the secateur is used for this pur- 

 pose, the cut is smoothed down with the pruning-knife, so 

 as to remove all inequalities from the surface. If the stem is 

 of medium thickness, not more than one graft is made on it, 

 and the cut is made in a slightly oblique direction ; but if the 

 strength of the stock requires several grafts, then the cut is 



made horizontally (for crown or cleft -grafting). Clef fc-graf ting 

 is effected with one or several scions ; the various processes 

 consist in employing them either when woody or herbaceous — 

 in spring, summer, or autumn — on the body of the tree, on the 

 top, or at the angle of the branches. 



Ordinary Cleft- Grafting. — With a Single Scion. 

 We have at our disposal a stock (A) of medium size. We 

 cut it obliquely at B, the top (C) of the cut being smoothed 

 horizontally ; then inserting the point of the pruning-knife, 



B 



Ordinary Cleft- Grafting with a Single Scion. 



