198 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



lump of clay, and to wrap them up in mofs, which will pre* 

 ferve them freih for a month, or longer ; but thefe fhould be 

 cut off from the trees earlier than thofe which are to be 

 grafted near the place where the trees are growing. 



Having given directions for the cions and grafts, we next 

 come to that of the flock, which is a term applied to the trees 

 intended for grafting ; thefe are, either fuch old trees as are 

 already growing in the places where they are to remain, 

 whofe fruit is intended to be changed ; or young trees, which 

 have been raifed in the nurfery for a fupply to the garden ; 

 in the former cafe, there is no other choice, than that of the 

 branches, which fhould be fuch as are young, healthy, well 

 fituated, and have a fmooth bark ; if thefe trees are growing 

 againft walls, or efpaliers, it will be proper to graft fix, eight, 

 or ten branches, according to the fize of the trees, by which 

 they will be much fooner furnifhed with branches again, than 

 when a lefs number of cions are put in; but in ftandard 

 trees, four, or at mofl fix, cions will be fufficient. 



In the choice of young flocks for grafting, you fhould 

 always prefer fuch ns have been raifed from the feed, and that 

 have been once or twice tranfplanted. 



Next to thefe, are thofe flocks which have been raifed from 

 cuttings, or layers ; but thofe which are fuckers from the roots 

 of other trees fhould always be rejected ; for thefe are never 

 fo well rooted as the others, and conflantly put out a great 

 number of fuckers from their roots, whereby the borders and 

 walks of the garden will be always peftered during the Sum- 

 mer feafon ; thefe are not only unfightly, but they alfo take 

 off part of the nourifhment from the trees. 



If thefe flocks have been allowed a proper diftance in the 

 nurfery where they have gr^wn, the wood will be better 



ripened^ 



