GRAFTING AND BUDDING. 



163 



?and if the grafts are too much swayed about by the wind, 

 additional props should be applied, and the longest branches 

 trimmed and some of their leaves removed; care should be 

 taken that the fastenings of the props do not become too 

 tight round the stock, which would both wound it and expose 

 it to the chance of ruptures. During the period of growth, 

 the direction of the sap should be regulated, if there is occasion 

 to do so, by pinching those shoots which push too vigorously 

 in proportion to the rest. If the pinching is likely to make 

 "them branch, it will be sufficient to cut the leaves partially, 

 and to tie up the strong shoots closely, leaving more freedom 

 of action to the weak ones. At the same time the useless 

 shoots which spring from the swelling of the graft should be 

 cut away. 



Suppression of the Heel. 



After one year's growth the heel of the graft should be cut- 

 away. If left longer, it will die and infect the stock with 

 decay. If it is cut when the sap is on the decline, the wound 

 soon heals, and the swelling at the junction of the graft soon 

 disappears. However, in the case of a graft of feeble growth, 

 there would be no danger in retaining the heel for two years. 

 In nurseries, the heel is removed in August and September, 

 after the work of shield-budding is over. Those subjects 

 whose scions are least allied in kind to their stocks are first 

 operated on : for example, when two different species are 

 united by grafting, as the pear on the quince, the cherry on 

 the Mahaleb, the apricot on the plum, and the peach on the 

 almond. The heel is cut in -a slanting direction (as indi- 

 cated by the line (B) hi the figure at page 151), beginning 

 opposite the base of the scion and ending just above its upper- 

 most point of union with the stock. Should the heel be thick 

 .and dry, the saw should be used and the cutting smoothed 



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