286 



PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING, ETC. 



10. The last use which we shall mention is that of renewing the heads of 

 trees. For example, if a forest or fruit tree is cut down to the ground, or 

 headed in to the height of ten or twelve feet, and left to itself, it will deve- 

 lop a great number of latent buds, each of which will be contending for the 

 mastery ; and the strength of the tree, and the most favourable part of the 

 season for growth, will be in some degree wasted, before a shoot is singled 

 out to take the lead ; but if a graft is inserted either in the collar or stool, 

 or in the amputated head, it will give an immediate direction to the sap, 

 the latent buds will not be excited, and the whole concentrated vigour of the 

 tree will be exerted in the production of one grand shoot. 



6i6. The different kinds of grafting may be classed ; as, grafting by de- 

 tached scions or cuttings, which is the most common mode ; grafting by 

 attached scions, or, as it is commonly termed, by approach or inarching, in 

 which the scion, when put on the stock, is not at all, or is only partially, 

 separated from the parent plant ; and grafting by buds, in which the scion 

 consists of a plate of bark, containing one or more buds. The stock on 

 which the scion is placed, is, in every case, a rooted plant, generally standing 

 in its place in the garden or nursery ; but sometimes, in the case of grafting 

 by detached scions, taken up and kept under cover, while the operation is 

 being performed. The two first modes of grafting are performed when the 

 sap is rising in spring ; and budding chiefly when it is descending, in July 

 and August. Under particular circumstances, however, and with care, 

 grafting in every form may be performed at any period of the year. 



647. The materials used in grafting are the common knife (fig. 40a in 

 p. 137 ) for heading down stocks ; the grafting knife and budding knife (fig. 

 40a and c in p. 137 and fig. 195) ; ligatures of difi'erent kinds for tying on the 



FigAdS. Qrafting~knife, with theportion of the back of the blade from J^to -\- ground to a cutting 

 edge, so as to make it serve also for a budding knife. 



scions, and grafting clay or grafting wax for covering them. The ligatures in 

 common use are strands of bast matting, or of other flexible bark ; but some- 

 times coarse worsted thread is used, or occasionally shreds of coarse paper, or 

 cotton cloth, covered with grafting wax. When bast mat is used, it may be 

 rendered water-proof, by passing it first through a solution of white soap, 

 and next through one of alum ; by which a neutral compound is formed 

 insoluble in water. These prepared shreds, before being put on, are soft- 

 ened, by holding them over a small vessel of burning charcoal, which the 

 grafter carries with him ; and when grafting wax is employed, instead of 

 grafting clay, it is kept in an earthen pot, also placed over live charcoal, 

 and the composition taken out and laid on with a brush. There are com- 

 positions, however, which become soft by the heat of the hand, or by breath- 

 ing on them. 



648. Grafting clay is prepared by mixing clay of any kind, or clayey 

 loam, fresh horse or cow -dung, free from litter, in the proportion of three 

 parts in bulk of clay to one of dung ; and adding a small portion of hay, not, 

 however, cut into too short lengths, its use being analogous to that of hair in 

 plaster. The whole is thoroughly mixed together, and beaten up with water, 

 so as to be of a suitable consistency and ductility for putting on with the 



