GRAFTING. 



143 



after a few gourds have setj the ends of the vmes arepmch- 

 ed off, the fruit will be larger and better. The bicoloured 

 gourd (cuciirbUa hicolor) is a small, beautiful, round fruit, 

 one part a deep green, and the other a bright yellow. On- 

 ly ornamental.'* — Dr. Green, 



GRAFTING is the taking a shoot from one tree, and in- 

 serting it into another, in such a manner that both may 

 unite closely, and become one tree. Its use is to propagate 

 any curious sorts of fruits, so as to be sure of the kinds, 

 which cannot be done by any other method. 



The grafts or scions should be cut off from the trees be- 

 fore their buds begin to swell, which is generally three 

 weeks or a month before the season for grafting. They 

 may be buried in ground half their length, and their tops 

 covered with dry litter. If a small joint of the former 

 year's wood is cut off with the scion, it will preserve it the 

 better, and be more likely to take when grafted. If the 

 scions are to be carried any considerable distance, it will be 

 best to stick their lower end in a potato, or a lump of well- 

 tempered, moist clay, and then wrap them up in moss, 

 which will preserve them fresh a month, or longer. 



The best grafts are from trees raised from seed ; next, 

 those raised from cuttings ; but those of trees raised from 

 suckers should be rejected. They should be shoots of the 

 last year's growth, and should be chosen from the outside 

 lateral branches of healthy trees. The middle part of each 

 shoot makes the best scions ; but long shoots, and especially 

 where the scion is of a rare variety, may be cut into several 

 scions of four or six inches in length, reserving not fewer 

 than two, nor more than five eyes to form the future head 

 of the tree. 



The best stocks are such as have been allowed much 

 room in the nursery ; those planted very close have the 

 wojd soft, and the grafts on them are not fruitful. 



The materials for grafting are, a strong pruning knife for 

 cuiting off the heads of the stocks, previous to their prepa- 

 ration by the grafting knife, for the scion ; a small saw for 

 large stocks ; and a penknife for very small scions ; a chis- 

 el and mallet for cleft grafting; bands or strings to tie the 

 grafts with ; and grafting clay. 



Grafting clay should be prepared at least ten days previ-^ 

 ous to its being wanted. Loudon directs to prepare it as 

 follows : Take either stiff yellow or blue clay, or clayey 

 loam or brick earth ; in either case adding thereto about a 

 fourth part of fresh horse-dung, free from litter, and a por- 



