102 GRAFTING. [chap. iv. 
The proper time for this kind of grafting is 
when the young pine-shoots have made 
about three parts of their growth, and are 
still so herbaceous as to break readily between 
the fingers, like a shoot of asparagus. The 
shoot of the stock is then broken off about 
two inches below the point, and all the 
leaves stripped off for nearly two inches 
more, except two sheaths of leaves, which 
are left, one on each side, close to the top. 
The shoot is then split with a very thin 
knife between the sheaths of leaves left on, 
and the scion, having had its lower extremity 
prepared by stripping off the leaves, and 
cutting it into the shape of a wedge, is 
inserted as in cleft grafting, and the parts 
are bound together with list, or with a strip 
of thin woollen cloth. A cone of paper is 
then put over the whole to protect it from 
the sun and rain, and the graft is very 
seldom found to fail. Sometimes this kind 
of grafting is applied to annual plants. The 
period chosen should be when the plant is in 
its greatest vigour, and is just going into 
flower. The flower stem is then cut off 
close to a leaf, and a slit is made in the stem 
