MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 197 



The (hoots ufed in grafting are called cions, or grafts ; and 

 in the choice of thefe the following directions ihould be care- 

 fully obferved. iff. That they are ihoots of the former year ; 

 for when they are older they never fucceed well. 2dly. Al- 

 ways to take them from healthy fruitful trees ; for, if the trees 

 from which they are taken be fickly, the grafts very often par- 

 take fo much of the diftemper as rarely to get the better of it, 

 at lean: for feme years ; and when they are taken from young 

 luxuriant trees, whofe veffels are generally large, they will 

 continue to produce luxuriant (hoots, but are feldom fo pro- 

 du&ive as thofe which are taken from fruitful trees whofe 

 (hoots are more compact, and the joints clofer together; at 

 lead it will be a great number of years before the luxuriant 

 grafts begin to produce fruit, even if managed with the greateft 

 fkill. 3dly, You ihould prefer thofe grafts which are taken 

 from the lateral or horizontal branches, to thofe from the 

 ftrong perpendicular (hoots, for the reafons before given. 



Thefe grafts, or cions, (hould be cut off from the trees be- 

 fore their buds begin to fwell, which is generally three weeks 

 or a month before the feafon for grafting; therefore, when 

 they are cut off they ihould be laid in the ground with the cut 

 downwards, burying them half their length, and covering 

 their tops with dry litter, to prevent their drying ; if a fmall 

 joint of the former year's wood be cut off with the cion, it will 

 preferve it the better, and when they are grafted this may be 

 cut off; for at the fame time the cions muff be cut to a 

 proper length before they are inferted in the (locks ; but, till 

 then, the ihoots ihould remain of their full length, as they 

 were taken from the tree, which will better preferve them 

 frcm (hrinking ; if thefe cions are to be carried to a consi- 

 derable diftance, it will be proper to put their ends into a 



j . lump 



