18 



PROPAGATION OF VAEIETIES. 



sorts of Apple ; next witli the different species of a genus, as the Apple 

 and the Pear, which grow, but in Avhich the union is less complete and 

 permanent ; and lastly with the genera of the same natural family, as the 

 Cherry on the Plimi, which die after a season or two. The ancients 

 boasted of Vines and Apples grafted on Poplars and Elms ; but repeated 

 experiments, by the most skilful cultivators of modern times, have clea^rly 

 proved that although we may, once in a thousand trials, succeed in effect- 

 ing these ill-assorted unions, yet the graft invariably dies after a few 

 months' growth.* 



The range in grafting or budding, for fruit-trees in ordinary culture, 

 is as the following : Apples, on apple or crab seedlings for orchards 

 (standards), or on Paradise apple stocks, for dwarfs ; Pears, on pear 

 seedlings for common culture, or Quince stocks for dwarfs, and some- 

 times on the thorn for clayey soils ; Peaches, on their own seedlings for 

 standards or for orchards ; on Almonds, for hot and dry climates ; on 

 Plums in cold or moist soils, or to secure tliem against the worm; Apri- 

 cots, on Plum stocks, to render them hardy and productive, or on their 

 own seedlings to render them long-lived. Nectarines are usually worked 

 on the Peach or Phmi ; and Cherries on mazard seedlings, or on the per- 

 fumed Cherry, and on the morello for forming half dwarfs. 



The manual operation of grafting is performed in a 

 very easy and complete maimer when the size of the stock, or 

 branch to be grafted, corresponds precisely with that of the 

 scion. In this case, which is called sp)lice-grafting, it is 

 oi^y necessary yriih. a smooth sloping cut, upwards on the 

 stock <x, and downwards on the scion h, Fig 2, to make 

 the two fit precisely, so that the inner bark of one corre- 

 sponds exactly with that of the other, to bind them fii-mly 

 together with a strand of matting, and to cover the wound 

 entirely with grafting clay or wax, and the whole is fin- 

 ished. In this, which is one of the neatest modes, the 

 whole forms a complete union nearly at once, lea^dng 

 scarcely any wounded part to heal over. But, as it is 

 only rarely that the stock is of so small a size as to fit 

 thus perfectly to the scion, the operation must be varied 

 somewhat, and requires more skill. The method in most 

 connnon use to cover all difficulties is called tongue 

 grafting. 



We may remark here that grafting the shoots of 

 Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, oT\-ing to their large 

 pith, is more difiicult than that of other fruit-trees. A variation of 

 splice-grafting, Fig. 3, has been invented to obviate this. This consists 

 in selecting the scion a, so as to leave at its lower end about a fourth of 

 an inch of two years old wood, which is much firmer. The bottom of 



* Tlxe classical horticulturist will not fail to recall to mind Pliny's account of 

 the tree in the garden of LucuUus, g-rafted in such, a manner as to bear Olives, 

 Almonds. Apples, Pears, Plums. Figs, and Grapes. There is little doubt, how- 

 ever, that this was some ingenious decex^tion, as to this day the Italian gardeners 

 pretend to sell Jasmines. Honeysuckles, etc., growing together and grafted on 

 Oranges and Pomegranates. This is ingeniously managed, for a short-lived 

 effect, by introducing the stems of these smaller plants through a hole bored up 

 the centre of the stock of the trees — their roots being in the same soil, and their 

 stems, which after a little gro^^'th fill up these holes, appearing as if really 

 grafted. 



