o7() THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. [Mar 



each. They should be cut off the parent tree some time pre- 

 riously to their being used, experience having shown that it is 

 necessary to allow the stock to have the advantage over the 

 graft in forwardness of vegetation. The sap of the stock 

 should be in active motion at the time of grafting, which would 

 also be the case with the scion, if left on the parent tree; 

 whereas the grafts being taken off some time before, their buds 

 will consequently be kept back, and ready only to swell when 

 placed upon the stock. Grafts should be collected any time 

 in January, or the beginning of Febmary, and kept at their 

 whole length, laid in dry mould, in a situation where they 

 are not exposed to either frost or much sunshine, until they 

 be used ; or they may be taken off in autumn, provided that 

 the wood be properly ripened, and sent to any distance, having 

 one end packed in clay, rather dry than moist, and a covering 

 of moss over all. 



The greatest care should be taken in procuring grafts, so 

 that they come not from trees infested with insects, or of 

 diseased habits, and also that tliey be cut off the tree, the 

 sort of which is particularly wanted ; and after being cut, should 

 be immediately labeled, in a correct and legible manner, that 

 no disappointment may occur : after having been at the expense 

 and trouble to procure grafts from a distance, should they turn 

 out to be different from wdiat they were intended, such a 

 disappointment will be great. At this season, we would re- 

 commend to have grafts of part or all of the seedling fruits 

 planted in the shrubbery or otherwise, put on in order to 

 prove their merits ; they should not be all put on one ti'ee, 

 nor in one situation ; some should be tried on walls, some on 

 espaliers, and some on standards, in order that their relative 

 merits may be ascertained. Probably the first year of their 

 fruiting they may not be so fine, as they will be at a more 

 mature age, therefore they should be allowed a few years, 

 and if we find that they progressively improve, there will be 

 some hope of having in time a new or good variety. 



Implements proper for the ivorJc. — These are principally, 

 a neat small hand-saw, for cutting off the heads of large 

 stocks ; a good strong knife, with a thick back, to make clefts 

 in the stocks ; wdth a sharp pen-knife, or budding-knife, to 



