196 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



comminution in paffing through the roots, &c. before they 

 arrive at the cion, miift doubtlefs arrive there 1 alf elaborated 

 and concocted, and fo difpo'ed for a more eafy, plentiful, 

 and perfect affimilation and nutrition ; whence the cion mnft 

 necefTarily grow and thrive better and fafler than if it were 

 put immediately in the ground, there to live on coarier diet 

 and harder of digeftion ; and the fruit produced by this further 

 preparation in the cion muft be finer, and further exalted, 

 than if fedtmmediately from the more imperfectly prepared 

 and altered juices of the flock. It may, perhaps, be thought 

 nn necefTary to fay any thing here on grafting, as it has been 

 fo fully treated of by Mr. Miller, and other writers on gar- 

 dening ; but, as this Treatife is principally on pruning and 

 < training, grafting feems naturally connected with it. 



I perfuade myfelf, therefore, that a few initructions m 

 grafting will not be unacceptable, as they may fave the reader 

 the trouble of turning to other books ; .-especially as they are 

 ■more particularly intended for -the grafting of old trees, and 

 fuch as are found, when they come to bear, to be a different 

 fort from what was expected : for, although nurferymen in 

 general are very carefuLin thefe matters, yet, through it he inat- 

 tention of their men, or fomc ^mifta'ke, or by an improper 

 choice of the forts, it will frequently happen, that, after waiting 

 thirteen or fourteen years, when the trees come to bear, the 

 fruit isfound of a bad quality, and not fit for ufe ; fo that new 

 grafting or budd ng Is absolutely necefTary,, 



I (hall, therefore, give what directions may be necefTary on 

 that fubject, to render it plain and eafy to thofe who have not 

 been regularly inftructed in the art of grafting from general 

 practice ; and add a method which 1 have followed for feme 

 years, and which I natter myfelf will be found an improvement. 



The 



