February 15, 1883 ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE 
Grafting in a Double Cleft .—The stock (A, fig. 39) being larger 
will receive two grafts. The cut b is horizontal, and we cut the 
stock diagonally at c either by pressing down 
the knife with both hands perpendicularly, or, 
if the wood is too hard, striking it with a small 
mallet. The grafts are placed one by one in the 
mouth, or in a vessel containing fresh moss. 
When the cleft is two-thirds made, draw out the 
knife on one side, so that the cleft shall be kept 
open, place a scion, d, at the other side, and 
using the blade of the knife as a lever, the scion 
will be easily inserted in its place. The insertion 
of the other scion is not more difficult; perhaps 
it may be again necessary to place the blade of 
the knife in the centre of the cleft, c, in order 
to force it open a little, so as the more easily to 
admit the second scion. If there is any danger 
of breaking the knife by using it in this way, a 
small boxwood wedge may be put into the centre 
of the cleft instead. The two scions can then be put in without 
making the cleft larger. Tying and the application of grafting 
wax are likewise necessary. 
Notch Grafting is shown with equal clearness. The scion A 
(fig. 40) is cut in the form a ', taking care to have a bud, b, at the 
1 
Fig. 39. 
Fig. 40. 
back of the slanting cuts. This bud, with the scion to which it 
belongs, is let into the notch c, made in the stock B, as at c. The 
graft is then tied and waxed. 
Fig. 41. 
Fig. 41 represents a modification of this mode of grafting, differ¬ 
ing only in the scion A having a single bud, which is sunk in 
AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 131 
the stock in the same manner as in the last example. The 
scion A is cut slantingly, as at b ; b is the notch in the stock, 
and c the scion when inserted in the stock. All that is now to 
be done is to wax the graft, taking care in doing so not to break 
off the bud a,. According to the length of the notch, the bud 
may be inserted level with the top of the stock, as in fig. 41, or 
lower down, as in fig. 40. By this mode of grafting, the shoots of 
valuable or scarce kinds can be made to furnish as many scions 
as there are buds. 
PLANTS FOR A DARK CONSERVATORY. 
“A. T.” asks on page 67 what climbers and other plants will 
succeed in a dark conservatory. It must be dark indeed from his 
description of the building. “ A. T.” could not do better than 
procure some plants of Ficus repens to furnish his back wall, 
especially as he has heat at his command. About half a dozen 
strong plants placed in large pots or tubs would soon cover the 
wall ; and for suspending from the roof I would recommend Pas- 
siflora cserulea and Cobsea scandens, and the variegated variety. 
He should certainly erect a bench or a stage of about three steps. 
The top step or bench, whichever is used, should be about 6 inches 
below the windows. By this means he will bring his plants to 
the light much better than when placed on the floor, although a 
few tall plants at the back would break the flat appearance of the 
wall. Ficus elastica and F. Cooperi would succeed, also Cordyline 
australis. For the front of the house I should strongly recom¬ 
mend Aspidistra lurida, its variety variegata, and some of the 
greenhouse Palms, such as Corypha australis, Chamrerops humilis, 
and C. Fortunei. Curculigo recurvata would also be useful. Many 
of the fine-foliage Begonias would succeed in the summer months. 
Isolepis gracilis might be associated with pots of Panicum varie- 
gatum, which would form a good edging for a bench. Agapanthus 
umbellatus and many of the Ferns would succeed, such as Pteris 
serrulata, P. albo-lineata, Asplenium bulbiferum, Cyrtomium 
falcatum, Davallia capensis, D. bullata, and Nephrodium molle. 
Selaginella Kraussiana would grow well in such a house, but I 
should advise “A. T.” not to try flowering plants.—J. P. 
FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HEDGES- 
A GOOD well-kept hedge is most pleasing to all concerned, while 
a poor neglected one is an eyesore to most people. If in our 
travels we go through a district or enter the gardens where all the 
hedgerows are even and well kept, we arrive at the conclusion 
that the proprietors take a delight in their property, and are well 
served by their responsible servants. In many large places the 
gardener has nothing whatever to do with the preservation of the 
hedges, but there are innumerable country seats where much of 
the work has to be performed by the gardeners. Qualified foresters 
require no advice upon the subject; at the same time there are 
many employers and gardeners to whom perhaps a few hints may 
prove acceptable. 
In the first place much depends upon laying the foundation for 
a good hedge. No matter what plants may be employed, unless 
the ground is well prepared for their reception the probability is 
they will not make the desirable rapid and even progress. In too 
many cases, instead of deeply digging the intended site at least 
three spits wide, and mixing some good semi-decayed manure at 
the same time, the ground is dug as the planting proceeds, one 
spit being roughly pressed on the root of the plant inserted in the 
hole from which the preceding spit was taken. Now the plants 
employed as a rule are reared in a nursery, the soil of which has 
long been cultivated and manured, and it is almost inconceivable 
how anyone could expect them to root freely and grow strongly 
in a poor and probably shallow uncultivated soil. In Scotland 
where good hedges are the rule they do not commence planting 
till all danger of severe frosts are past, and those in more favoured 
southern counties will do well to delay planting till late in 
February. Cold saturated ground proves very destructive to 
newly planted hedgerows, and the plants also experience a check 
if the roots are exposed for any length of time to cold drying 
winds. Yet how often are the plants, when had from a distance, 
allowed to stand about in bundles for days without any protection 
to the roots. 
My plan is to dig the ground slightly in advance of those plant¬ 
ing, as the newly moved soil can easily be broken up. If dug 
some time previous and has become saturated with rain it is 
difficult to plant firmly and well. If an open ditch is near no 
other drainage is required, otherwise a drain should be laid near, 
as few plants will succeed in cold undrained land. It is also 
necessary to make ample provision for protecting the young 
hedges for several years from sheep and cattle. 
