MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 199 



ripened, and more compact, than thofe which have grown 

 dole, and have been there drawn up to a greater height ; 

 the wood of thefe will be foft, and their veflels large ; fo that 

 the cions grafted into them will ihoot very ftrong ; but they 

 will be lefs difpofed to produce fruit than the other ; and 

 when trees acquire an ill habit at fir it it will be very difficult 

 to reclaim them afterward. 



Having directed the choice of cions and flocks, we come 

 next to the operation ; in order to which you muft be pro- 

 vided with the following tools : 



1. A neat fmall hand- law, for cutting off the heads of 

 large flocks. 



2. A good ftrong knife, with a thick back, to make clefts 

 in the flocks. 



3. A fharp pen-knife, or budding-knife, to cut the grafts. 



4. A grafting chifel and a fmall mallet. 



5. Bafs firings, or woollen yarn, to tie the grafts with ; and - 

 . fuch other inflruments and materials as you fhould find 



neceflary, according to the fort of grafting which you are to 

 perform. 



6 A quantity of clay, which fhould be prepared a month 

 before it is tried, and kept turned and mixed, like mortar, every 

 other day : this is to be made in the following manner. 



Get a quantity of ftrong fat loam (in proportion to the 

 quantity of trees intended to be grafted) ; then take Tome 

 new ftone-horfe dung, and break it in among the loam ; and 

 if you cut a little ftraw, or hay, very fmall, and mix anion gift 

 it, the loam will hold together the better ; and if there be a 

 quantity of fait added, it will prevent the clay from dividing 

 in dry weather ; thefe muft be well ftirred together, putting 

 water to them after the manner of making mortar ; itihould 



be 



