330 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



season for apples, pears, and all similar hardy- 

 trees, in our climate. There is, however, an ex- 

 ception to this otherwise very general rule prac- 

 tised both in Germany and in North America, 

 where, the stocks having been taken up in au- 

 tumn, are kept in sheds or cellars, and grafted 

 during the winter. The whole stock of a nur- 

 sery may thus be done when no other work 

 could be carried on out of doors; and when 

 spring returns, the stocks, with their grafts tied 

 and clayed in the usual manner, are taken out 

 and planted. The same practice is often fol- 

 lowed in Britain in the case of roses and pears, 

 particularly in the latter case, when root-graft- 

 ing is employed. The vine is best grafted when 

 in leaf ; if done sooner, it is apt to bleed to the 

 extent of preventing the union from taking 

 place. The general rule, however, is, to let the 

 sap in the stock be in full motion, while the sap 

 in the scion is only beginning to flow at the time 

 of operating. " This mode of reasoning," says 

 Mr Towers, " appears to be founded upon the 

 old theory of the exclusive agency of the as- 

 cending sap ; and it implies that the scion is 

 in a dry and thirsty condition, eager to imbibe 

 the ascending fluid. The electrical theory con- 

 siders the flow of the sap as an operation of in- 

 duction — that the buds of the twigs are the im- 

 mediate instruments by which that induction 

 operates — and therefore, that just in proportion 

 to the identity of condition subsisting between 

 the scion and the stock, will be the speed and 

 certainty with which the union between the two 

 is effected. What experience may finally deter- 

 mine," says this authority, " I know not ; but 

 I am prepared to say, that I have instances now 

 before me— all of successful grafting — wherein 

 the scions taken off the tree at the moment of 

 4 grafting in the crown/ were more speedily knit- 

 ted to the stock than others that had been cut 

 off and kept in mould for some weeks before 

 they were wanted." 



Rhododendrons and azaleas, and most similar 

 plants, succeed by grafting in March, using 

 scions of last season's growth ; or they may with 

 equal success be wrought in autumn, using 

 scions of the same year's growth. Plants grow- 

 ing in hot-houses, and subject to artificial ex- 

 citement, may be grafted at almost any season, if 

 the wood be in proper condition. 



Hard- wooded deciduous trees, such as the oak, 

 elm, &c, should be grafted in April, cutting the 

 stocks down to within 6 inches of the ground, 

 using scions of the previous year's growth, and, 

 when clayed over, earthing up all round. 



Succulent plants, such as Cacti, &c, should 

 be grafted in August ; they succeed best when 

 the scion is cut in form of a wedge, and in- 

 serted in the crown or along the angular sides 

 of the stock : no claying is necessary, only a 

 little soft moss or cottony matter wound round 

 the part of union to prevent the entrance of 

 moisture. Partial shade is necessary until the 

 union has taken place. 



The operation of grafting will be readily un- 

 derstood by a glance at fig. 99, a being the 

 stock, and b the graft or scion; as will be seen, a 

 smooth sloping cut is made in an upward direc- 

 tion on the stock, while a similar cut is made 



in the scion, but, of course, in an opposite 

 or downward direction. These two cuts are 



Fig. 99. 



mi 



SPLICE-GRAFTING. 



Fig. 100. 



made so that the inner bark of the one corre- 

 sponds with the inner bark of the other ; they 

 are then placed together (c), and secured by 

 matting (d), to keep them in their places, and 

 covered with clay or other adhesive matter (e), to 

 exclude air, &c. The operation is most simple 

 when both stock and scion are of exactly the 

 same size; when otherwise, the operation must 

 be varied to suit the circumstances : the chief 

 point, however, is so to shape the incisions that 

 the inner bark of the one may fit the inner 

 bark of the other; and the more these are 

 brought into immediate contact together, the 

 greater certainty attends the operation. 



Whip, splice, or tongue grafting, fig. 100.— This 

 is the mode adopted by most nurserymen, as be- 

 ing the most expeditious and 

 certain when applied to young 

 trees, whose stocks are not 

 much more in diameter than 

 the scion. In performing the 

 operation, the stock (a) is cut 

 over at the height the graft 

 is to be put on; then, with a 

 very sharp thin-bladed knife, 

 cut a thin slip of wood and 

 bark upwards, about 3 inches 

 below the top of where the 

 stock has been cut over. In 

 making this cut, insert the 

 edge of the knife rather hori- 

 zontally; and when it has gone 

 through the bark and nearly 

 to the middle of the stock, 

 pull the knife straight up- 

 wards, making the cut with 

 one pull. Then, about half 

 way down this cut, cut a thin 

 tongue not more than three- 

 eighths of an inch in length. 

 In the same way proceed with 

 the bottom part of the scion, b, 



WHIP OR TONGUE 

 GRAFTING. 



