197 



wood required for the insertion of the scutcheon. Should, however a 

 heavy rainfall coincide with the date prefixed for the operation it will 

 be advisable to defer it until the superabundant moisture be absorbed by 

 the soil, or has evaporated, the existence of which during the period of 

 the first adhesion of the scutcheon might induce an overflow of humour, 

 which would imperil the success of the operation, and even the health 

 of the plant itself ; in short, a moderate moisture is as conducive to suc- 

 cess as a want or excess of it is injurious. The scutcheon should be 

 taken from a young and pliant limb so that the scutcheon be easily 

 adapted to the convexity of the stem on which it is to be applied. 



Respecting the nature of the ligatures to be adopted, those fibrous 

 substances are to be preferred which are least subject to hygrometric in- 

 fluences. These are apt, when they affect the ligature, to cause either 

 undue pressure or relaxation. The success or failure of the graft be- 

 comes evident on the eighth day, in the former case through the green- 

 ness and fulness of the bud, which, together with the fall of the pedicle, 

 are evidences of success ; while the contrary signs are similarly a proof 

 of failure. 



A few words, however, may not be amiss on the modus operandi of 

 grafting by " approach." The plants must be, of course, in juxtaposi- 

 tion, so close that one or both are usually planted in pots for the pur- 

 pose, the subject whence the graft is to be derived must offer all those 

 requisities for success which are required by the scutcheon-graft. A 

 wedge-like or pyramidical incision is practised on that limb of the 

 patient which is to be operated on, and a corresponding- pyramidical 

 projection is cut out of the bough of the operating plant which will 

 dovetail, as it were, into the first incision ; the two limbs are then 

 firmly tied together and luted and left for about 3 mom lis when the scion 

 or graft will have become united to the stem or bough of the patient, 

 and may be severed safely from its parent. The long period which is 

 needed ere the graft can be considered to have taken, together with the 

 necessity of bringing the plants into close proximity are insuperable 

 obstacles to the generalisation of this particular method, although it 

 may be resorted to in special cases with undoubtedly good results. 



Plantation. 



Some skill and care are requisite in the selection of a suitable situation 

 and proper soil, on which the young trees extracted from the nursery 

 are to take up their definite abode. In our choice we should be guided 

 not only by general rules but also by those local features of the ground 

 which may render an otherwise less suitable site preferable ; moreover 

 we must not omit from our consideration the space oi ground required 

 far the unhampered development of each individual plant consistent 

 with that economy of room which no small grower can afford to over- 

 look, and no wealthy landowner willingly neglects in a country where 

 well-irrigated sites are naturally much restricted 



With regard to the quality of the soil, and the lie of the land, the 

 conditions required by the seedlings are more or le^s suitable to the 

 adult individual, that is, the former should be rich by nature or art, and 

 the second as far as possible have a bearing due north and south, in all 

 cases the site fixed on should have a southern aspect. 



In the hot months of July and August the " formelle" or h les for 

 planting are dug, cleared out, and weeded after the first rains of autumn. 



