886 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



it has boon long practised on the continent. The operation 

 is thus detailed by a correspondent in the Hort. Trans. : — 

 The cutting intended for the graft should be strong and 

 short-jointed, having on it two or more joints or buds. It 

 must also be procured as soon in the season as possible ; 

 when obtained, select a good tuber of a single sort, taking 

 especial care that it has no eyes : with a sharp knife, (for a 

 dull edge would mangle the fleshy root, make it jagged, and so 

 prevent a complete adhesion,) cut off a slice from the upper 

 part of the root, making at the bottom of the part so cut a 

 a ledf^e whereon to rest the jj-raft. This is recommended be- 

 cause you cannot tongue the graft as you do a wood-shoot, 

 and the ledge is useful in keeping the cutting fixed in its place 

 while you tie it. Next cut the scion sloping, to fit, and cut 

 it so that a joint may be at the bottom of it to rest on the 

 aforesaid ledge : a union may be effected without the ledge, 

 providing the graft can be well fixed to the tuber, but the 

 work will not then be so neat. It is of advantage, although 

 not absolutely necessary, that a joint should be at the bottom 

 of a scion, for the scion will occasionally put forth new roots 

 from that lower joint : the stem is formed from the upper 

 joint. I thercrore," he adds, " procure the cuttings with the 

 two lower joints as near together as possible. After the graft 

 has been tied, a piece of fine clay, such as is used for common 

 grafting, must be placed round it; then pot the root in fine 

 mould, in a pot of such a size as will bury the graft half-way 

 in the mould ; place the pot on a little heat in front of a cu- 

 cumber or melon-bed. A striking-glass may be placed over 

 the whole, or not, with little difference of etfect. In about 

 three weeks, the root should be shifted into a larger pot, if it 

 be too soon to plant it in the border, which will probably be 

 the case ; for, supposing the work was begun in March, the 

 plant cannot go out till the end of May, so that the shifting 

 will be essential to promote its growth till the proper season 

 of planting out arrive." 



PLANTING OUT CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



The different varieties of Chrysanthemum Indicmn, since 

 their general introduction into our flower gardens, have added 



