18-1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
INARCHING—OR GRANTING BY APPROACH. 
“ What is ‘ Inarching ’I” asks an enquirer, and 
the question is well put, as comparatively few un¬ 
derstand the process. In short, it is uniting a 
branch of one tree, shrub, or plant to the limb or 
stock of another, so that the two will grow firmly 
together, after which the united limb may be cut 
off from the parent stock, and left to grow upon 
the new tree to which it has been attached. By’ 
this process we may often unite a scion to a tree 
more readily and more successfully than in the or¬ 
dinary processes of grafting or budding. Let us 
explain by an illustration : 
Take for example a Magnolia conspicua, a fine 
low branching specimen growing in the open 
ground. Plant in a circle around this another va¬ 
riety, say Magnolia glauca or acuminata , setting 
the latter so that the branches of the central tree 
can be brought in contact with the bodies of the 
trees in the circle as seen in fig. 1. 
/ 
It is better to set out these trees at. least one 
year before the grafting is attempted, and then it 
is probable that only a portion of them will be in 
condition and position the first year to receive a 
head from the parent or central tree. 
Select a branch of the specimen tree which can 
be brought into contact with the body of one of 
the circular plants, and with a sharp knife pare 
away one side of each for about two inches in 
length, as seen in fig. 2. Let the scion and stock 
be as nearly of the same size as possible, and of 
straight smooth growth. The engraver has rep¬ 
resented the limb to be larger than the stock to 
which it is to be attached. If there be any varia¬ 
tion, let the stock be the largest. Let them be 
pared alike and bring them together so that the bark 
shall exactly meet on one if not on both edges of 
the pared portions. Then bind them firmly, as 
seen in fig. 3 Soft bass, or strips of muslin coated 
with grafting cement may be used for the bandage. 
If strings of any kind are employed, it is better to 
cover the whole with grafting clay, or wav, to ex¬ 
clude the sun. The coated cloth is preferable, but 
it must be firm, or an outer string be used to pre¬ 
vent the wind from parting them. A union is 
rendered more certain by making a slit in each as 
in tongue-grafting, passing the knife upward in 
the scion or branch, and downward in the stock, 
and then pressing them closely together. This, 
however, is not essential except in those varieties 
which are difficult to unite. If much exposed, 
confine the branches by tying to stakes, or to limbs 
of the parent tree, to prevent swaying by the 
wind. 
We prefer leaving them in this condition til! 
the following season, except in some rapid grow¬ 
ing varieties which have evidently united in a 
short time. These may have the top of the small 
tree or stock cut off, just above the point of union, 
in three weeks from the time of inarching; but 
ordinarily they may remain till the next spring, 
when both the top of the one and the bottom of 
the other are cut away, removing the scion from 
its parent immediately below the place of contact. 
We now' have a top from the choice variety upon 
a trunk of a more common sort. The body be¬ 
low the graft should be kept free from leaves or 
branches, and in a few' years new wood will hide 
all appearance of the wound. 
Where the branches of the tree intended to be 
propagated from are at a distance from the ground, 
a temporary stage may be erected, and the stocks, 
planted in pots, be placed upon boards at conve¬ 
nient places to receive the new top. 
Potted plants in the forcing or green-house are 
conveniently inarched by placing them side by 
side upon the shelf, turning them so as to bring 
suitable branches in contact, which are united in 
the above manner. 
Inarching may be done from May to the end of 
' August, though we prefer June and July, if the 
trees are in vigorous growth. 
WHAT IS LAYERING ? 
There is a large class of trees, shrubs and 
vines, which do not grow readily by cuttings, and 
which are with difficulty obtained from seed. 
Others take root (“ strike”) more easily, and ap¬ 
pear to thrive tolerably well during the moist 
weather of Spring, but when the drouth of mid¬ 
summer comes on, having very little root of their 
owm, and no parent stock to draw upon, they dry 
out. 
To propagate such plants, a very simple, easily 
performed, and successful mode of application is 
adopted, called “ layering.” This consists in 
bending down vines, or branches of shrubs, and 
bedding them in the earth at one or more points, 
without previously cutting from the parent root. 
At the joints or buds, and even elsewhere, the 
stems thus covered send out roots, and after a 
time these become so strong that the layered 
branch or vine can be cut off to grow' upon its 
own new roots. To facilitate the striking out of 
new roots, it is customary to wound the layered 
stem by partially cutting it at the point where 
roots are desired. We introduce an illustration 
of simple Layering. 
A. Cut or slit to promote striking. B. Crotchet! stick 
to hold down the vine. C. Stake to turn new shoot up¬ 
ward. 
Grape-vines, Gooseberries, Roses, Honeysuck¬ 
les, and numerous flowering shrubs may be lay¬ 
ered (or laid in) during the early part of this month, 
(August), and they will root so that they may be 
removed in the Fall or coming Spring. The 
principal layering is usually performed in early 
Spring, or in Autumn, on wood of the previous 
season’s growth. 
The Nursery Gardener frequently sets out 
plants which he wishes to propagate in this way, 
four to six feet apart, and heads them down. 
They then throw out several side shoots, which 
may be layered the following Spring. These 
stocks are now called stools, and are kept for the 
sole purpose of furnishing layers, the new growth 
of each season being laid down in the Fall or fol¬ 
lowing Spring. The ground around them must 
be kept deeply stirred, and if mulched to retain 
the moisture, so much the better. Some varie¬ 
ties of e-vergreens, and a few deciduous trees, re¬ 
quire two or three years to establish themselves 
sufficiently upon the new roots, but by far the 
largest class will require only one season. 
Branches which cannot be brought to the ground 
are sometimes layered by placing pets or boxes 
of earth upon shelves, and having adjusted the 
branch selected, keep the earth in the pot or box 
moist by frequent waterings. 
In explanation of the process, we introduce a 
section of a grape-vine containing a shoot of last 
year’s growth. Having loosened or spaded the 
ground, remove from five to six inches of eaith, 
and lay the shoot in this trench, pinning it down 
with a hooked stick, as represented in the figure 
Replace the earth, leaving one or two feet of the 
extremity out of ground. If the shoot is suffi¬ 
ciently long, a second portion may in like manner 
be layered, as seen above. To facilitate the 
pushing out of fibres, make an upward cut or slit 
in the branch, immediately beneath a bud, and' 
near the point at which it is pegged down. A 
twist with the hand, or a split with an awl or 
knife, answers a like purpose. In most cases, the 
branch may be cut from its parent in the follow¬ 
ing Fall or Spring, and planted out upon its new 
root. A stiff branch may sometimes require 
splitting with a knife before it can be brought to 
the ground, and will need a strong peg to hold it 
there. Stiff woody shrubs or trees will require 
bending up and staking to form an upright trunk, 
as shown above. A slight curve near the ground 
can be hidden by planting a little deeper after 
removal. 
CURRANTS AS A MARKET CROP. 
That there are superior currants to those ordi¬ 
narily grown, we know from every day’s obser¬ 
vation. We should be glad to show all our read¬ 
ers the fruit now ripening upon the tree de¬ 
scribed and illustrated on page 112 of this vol¬ 
ume (May number). We have just been shown 
a single branch or limb of the Cherry Currant,. 
raised by Messrs. Wells & Provost, at Yonkers, 
N. Y. This branch is about 15 inches in length, 
and half an inch in diameter, and yet contains 
fully three-fourths of a pound of berries, the 
smallest of which are l£ inches in circumference, 
and the largest over If inches. These cultivators 
are putting out thirty acres of this variety, u> 
raise fruit for preserving. We have also before 
us splendid bunches of the Cherry Currant, 
grown by C. F. Erhard of Ravenswood, L. I., 
who is raising a large stock of the plants for 
market. The berries before -us are li to 1| 
inches in circumference. Another gentleman, 
whose name and residence we did not learn, re¬ 
cently brought into our office specimen berries 
still larger than either of the above. 
These, and many other specimens we have 
seen, give abundant evidence that there is suffi¬ 
cient opportunity to improve upon the old stere- j 
otyped small varieties, hitherto the standard crop 
We are testing several varieties of the newer 
sorts, and shall be able to report by another sea¬ 
son. So far, we incline to place the genuine 
Cherry Currant ahead of all others. There are 1 
