March.] THE NURSERY 258 
six inches of the ground; but if for full standards, they may be 
headed and grafted at five or six feet high, or in fact, at any height 
you please, even at the surface of the ground, but more particularly 
apples and pears; for you can afterwards train the graft on a single 
clean stem, as high as you like, and then top it, to cause it to 
throw out side branches for forming a head: this is the best method 
to treat stunted or ill formed stocks, but is not necessary for those 
that are well thriven and straight; for by it you would lose a year 
of their growth, as you can immediately form the head from the 
graft when inserted at a proper height; for dwarf and half standards, 
you may head and graft, at the height of two, three, or four 
feet. 
There are various methods of grafting in practice; such as whip- 
grafling, cleft- grafting, crown-grafting, side-grafting, root-grafting 
and grafting by approach or inarching; but the two former are in. 
more general use among experienced gardeners, particularly the 
first, as being every way preferable to any other, when the stocks 
are under an inch in diameter. 
First, by Wliip-grafting. 
This kind of grafting is that most commonly practised in nur- 
series, as being both the most expeditious and successful, and may 
be performed upon smaller stocks, than any other; for it is effect- 
ed with the greatest success upon such as are, from about half an 
inch or less, to near an inch in diameter: the method of perform- 
ing the work is this. 
Having the cions or grafts, knife, bandages, and clay ready; 
then begin the work by cutting off the head of the stock, at some 
clear smooth part thereof; generally performing this, by one clean 
slanting cut upwards, so as to form a slope on one side about an 
inch and a half, or two inches in length, and make a notch or small 
slit, from near the upper part downwards, a little better than half an 
inch long, to receive the tongue of the cion; then prepare the cion, 
by cutting it to five or six inches in length, preferring the lower 
or thick part, and cutting the bottom end on one side also, in a slop- 
ing manner, the length of, and to fit the slope of the stock, as if 
cut from the same place, tha* the rinds of both may join as nearly 
as possible in every part, as if you were splicing a fishing-rod; but 
when the stock is much larger than the cion, this cannot be done so 
exactly, unless you insert it on the opposite side of the stock to the 
slope; h wever, that will not be necessary, provided you join the 
rinds or bark of both, so as to fit neatly on either edge or side of the 
slope; then make a slit upwards in the slope of the cion, so as to 
form a sort of tongue to fit that made in the slope of the stock, 
which insert therein, so that the rinds of both may join together 
exactly, at least at one side, and immediately tie the parts together 
with a ligature of bass, &c. bringing it in a neat manner several 
times round the stock and graft, moderately tight, and fastened ac- 
cordingly. 
