fortunate, because it misleads the hasty thinker 
into the supposition that there is a real analogy 
between the living and olaetie skin of an animal 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
a shoot of a gooseberry bush and place it 
in soil, roots readily issue from the extremity 
and the shoot becomes an independent plant. 
This, before it has made roots, is called a cut¬ 
ting. If the end, instead of being placed in the 
soil, is cut smoothly wedge-shape, (Fig. l), and 
placed into a slit made in the stem of a currant 
bush, it is then called a cion, and the stem into 
which it is inserted is called the stock, (Fig. 2). 
Ll fl f;$|§ 10 
$ ! ! km 
Instead of deriving nourishment from its own 
rcots, the like parts of both having grown to¬ 
gether, the currant is to the cion what the roots 
and soil were to the cutting. Between cions and 
stocks which thus becomo, as it were, soldered 
together, a close similarity of nature and struc¬ 
ture is essential. We may generally work differ¬ 
ent varieties npon the species—as a Baldwin 
upon other apples—leas often different specioB 
upon each other, as an apricot upon a plum, 
rarely different genera upon each other, as a 
lilac upon a privet. 
The corresponding parts of the cion and stock 
should be placed lu contact or rather the layer 
which seems to divide the bark and the wood, 
but which really unites them, should be plaeod 
in contact, for which reason the wedge-end of 
the cion should be cut as nearly as possible to 
conform to the slit of tho stock wbioh is to re¬ 
ceive it. 
This is the ono important thing about grafting. 
As the aumial growth takos place betwoen the 
wood and the bark, it is plain that this is pre¬ 
cisely whero the two parts will begin to grow 
together. Many novices think it necessary that 
tho outside bark of ciou and slock should bo 
placed together. But except when tho entire 
hark of each is of the samo thickness the out¬ 
side bark of the cion will always bo perceptibly 
within the other. 
? V ,11 
. W J 
Cions may bo cut in tho fall and preserved 
fresh in sand through the winter. Or they may 
ho out now and bo preserved until needed.' The 
ost time for grafting varies with different 
plants and tho season. No infallible date can bo 
R ! vo “- Tho b est time is just after the buds bo- 
t'ui to swell, and wo feel assured that tho time 
or cold snaps is over. The plum and cherry 
‘ Uy be rafted earlier, the apple and pear later, 
oven after the buds have broltou. Root grafting, 
argely adopted by nurserymen, for the apple 
. . Som ° others ^ performed throughout tho 
f .11 ° r ’ ^ rootM having boon taken up in the 
ml Wa t ed “ d cil ' cfuI, y packed in boxes of 
...I -j 0 bilV0 space to describe this in 
10 shn ’!?' 17 is tbo cioil > 18 root-stock, 
shows the operation completed. 
CLEFT ORAFTINQ 
to^r^- w,liuh we advi8 ° the experimenter 
gto .. - Pt ln hlB <irat essays, especially where the 
th k ; milCh Jarf > or tJlttU the cion. Fig. 1, is 
stock rea 5 y t0 bo kl3ertcd into the cleft of the 
an,i or one on either side as in Fig. 5 
to often VT but 0ae oiou is U8ed < it is bettor 
1 off the other side as in Fig. 8 and 4. 
eirirh'i^'i i fl the next easiest and most 
Bam An wbeu the ci °n stock are tho 
than in *‘ V BftU10 si^o and neither is more 
con Fk/« C m in diwaetep - The wedge of the 
7 n fh 8 hta 1Ut0 Ul6 llotoh of the stock, Fig. 
‘ -ooth are pressed tirmly together and bound 
with yarn, bast or tape, and then covered with 
grafting wax or any other tenacious, yielding 
substance that will not be washed off by rain 
and that will exclude air from the covered parts. 
Two years ago we grafted the Weeping Privet 
(a variety of Ligustrum vulgare) npon what we 
call tho California Privet (L. oyalifolium) to as¬ 
certain which would succeed best, the Bplice or 
cleft graft. Eight of each were tried. All 
lived, however, aud seemed equally strong and 
vigorous. Figs. 9 and 10 show a form of splice 
grafting which is more effectual than binding 
plain surfaces together, in that tho tongue 
holds them more securely when bound. Fig. 11 
represents a mode of 
SIDE GRAFTING 
which may bo practiced when one has acquired 
a little skill aud desires to display it. Grape¬ 
vines may be grafted by Ibis method when dor¬ 
mant, near the ground, aud covered over with 
earth until the next spring. 
Fig. 12 shows how many species of the Cactus 
family may be worked upon each other, Pereskia 
aculoata being often used as the stock. Pelar¬ 
goniums of different colored flowers and foliage 
may also by the same form of cleft grafting, be 
worked upon a single stock, and very interesting 
plants secured. 
Figs. 13, 14, 15 show a mode of herbaceous 
grafting, as in grafting the tree Peony upon the 
tubers of the herbaceous Peony, or the Dahlia 
upon its own tubers. In Fig. 19 we have a mod¬ 
ification of side grafting the cion of which may 
and the dead and rigid bark of a tree. Only the 
inner layers of the covering of tho trunk and 
larger branches possess life or extensibility. The 
outer bark yields to the growth of the tree, not 
by elasticity but by rupture, and if the ohemico- 
vital action developed in the tree is feeble, it 
may be unable to “burst its cerements,” and 
thus enlarge itself in the natural way. 
Wheu tho tree is continuously thrifty, it 
“ keeps things moving,” and daring the growing 
season pushes open tho texture which envelopes 
it by a continuous pressure which does notallow 
of that hardening from outer heat and dryness, 
be cut smoothly concave, or with a tongue as at 
D. The lower end (C.) is immersed in a vessel 
of water or moist soil, and may thus derive an 
auxiliary support while above, it is uniting to the 
stock. In Fig. 20 wo have precisely the re¬ 
verse of the method shown by Fig. 12. The cion 
(a) is made to fit over the stock (6), the com¬ 
pleted operation being Bbown at C. 
REMARKS* 
e have often thought that when the simplest 
parts of a simple thing are described at length, 
much mystery is thrown over all, and the begin¬ 
ner applies himself to a study of what he al¬ 
ready knows. Let him bear in mind that ho is 
merely to placo like parts of one Btem upon 
those of another; that all outs are to bo made 
as smooth aB possible aud the union securely 
bound together. This, with what has been said, 
and tho aid of tho accompanying illustrations, 
should onablo any child, twelve years of age, to 
do ordinary grafting successfully. 
■-«-» »-- 
“HIDE-BOUND” TREES. 
o tnre, have very tender, succulent roots and 
d stems, and aro quickly destroyed by excessive 
e heat; therefore, in a sandy soil they must be 
planted four inches deep, but in a heavy clay, 
only two and a half to throe inches. In deep 
planting, it is not necessary to compact the soil 
over the seed, as the Hun cannot penetrate so far, 
early in the season, as to dry the young roots. 
But all small seeds to bo planted early, should 
have a sufficient covering firmly trod down by 
tho feet, to exclude the drying effect of both sun 
and wind. This “ treading iu” secures moisture 
as well, and does not prevent the warmth of the 
sun from reaching the seed. If the 1st of April 
allows tho ground to work mellow and free from 
wet, plant Peas four iuches, Beets two inches, 
Carrots ono inch. Lettuce one-half inch. Radish 
one iuch, Parsnips one inch, Onions throo-quar- 
ters,Turnips one-half inch deep, and tread them 
in firmly. This calculation is made for a medium 
light soil; if the soil is very light, plant deeper; 
if very heavy, plant shallower. 
Beans, Sugar Corn, Melons, SquaBhes, Cucum¬ 
bers etc., should not be put iu till May 10th, 
and then about one-half inch deep upon hills 
level with the surface (with a depression around 
them) on light soil; or in hills raised above the 
surface, for heavy soil. All these seeds require 
much warmth aud moisture to start them. 
Make the ground quite firm as before. 
As Cabbage, Cauliflower, Tomato and Pepper 
seeds are always started in boxes or hot-beds, I 
shall not consider them in this article. 
With these general idoas, the soil of the gar¬ 
den is the next item. Let every farmer have 
two gardens, side by side if ho likes, hut totally 
separate. Tlow tho ground early in the sea¬ 
son, haul on enough manure to cover it five 
inches deep, plow again so as to turn it all 
under six inches ; then haul ou two inches more 
and mix that just below the surface withA shov¬ 
el plow, cultivator or any suitable tool. This 
gives a st ratum of rich soil at top, warm and 
light to induce prompt and healthy germination, 
and another two or throe inches under it, as a 
support to tho plant when summer heat becomes 
powerful. If the season Bhould prove wet, tho 
feoding rootH will form in the top stratum ; if 
dry, they will seek the lower one and in either 
ase, strong growth will be certain. Let one of 
hese gardens be devoted to vegetables entirely, 
aud plow it every spring, adding manure ou top 
at same time ; the other patch plant with small 
frnits, bushes, vines and asparagus. In both 
cases, rowB should run north aud south. The 
fruit patch will require stirring with the 
v plow or cultivator once in two years. Ro- 
merabor ono thing in tho outset: if the 
^ crop to be grown is weeds, just prepare the 
N Boil, plant tho seeds, and “let it alone,” and 
no matter what vegetable seeds are put in, 
a grand crop of weeds will follow. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M. D. 
It seems to me that the use of this term is un- 
and from interstitial deposits of mineral matter, 
which finally incases the weakly tree with an 
armor that it cannot throw off, and which still 
further enfeebles it by its constricting action 
upon the sap vessels. 
Until it was brought out In the recent corres¬ 
pondence of the Bubal, it had not occurred to 
me that any one would undertake to relieve this 
constriction by slitting the bark at any other 
time than early in the growing season. A very 
little reflection would teach one that as “tho 
time to oatoh bears is when bears are around,” 
so tho time to relievo this pressure on the growth 
of the tree, is when the tree is growing. There 
can bo uo question that slitting the bark in tho 
fall or winter would produce an injurious, rather 
than a useful effect. It is uo doubt true, also, 
that only under exceptional circumstances is a 
good orehardist who attends to bis trees and 
keeps them thrifty, obliged to resort to this sort 
of surgery. 
Newport, Vt., Feb. 22. 
- **■* -- 
THE PRACTICE OF SEED PLANTING. 
8. RUFUS MASON. 
Tub presence of warmth and moisture, and 
the absence of light arc the necessary conditions 
under which healthy germination takes place. 
Peas germinate at a comparatively low tempera- 
THE TOMATO. 
CHARLES B. DECKXEB. 
The writer has devoted considerable attention 
to the cultivation of the Tomato, first in the 
State of Wisconsin aud for twelve years past on 
a market garden near this thriving city. Con¬ 
sidered either as a fruit for the table, or as a 
product for market, it is worthy of high esteem. 
It is healthful iu its effects, aud as agreeable to 
the palate as it is inviting to the eye. As a 
relish, it is at the breakfast-table tho peer of 
tiiat delight of the epicure,—tho cantaloupe. 
Served fresh from the vine, it is palatable and 
wholesome, while it may be served as a cooked 
dish in half a dozen different styles. In the veg¬ 
etable season, uo table is complete without it, 
aud no canned fruit is more acceptable in winter. 
Add to the good qualities already mentioned, 
the immense yield of the Tomato, and it is not 
surprising that the subjeot of its culture is re¬ 
ceiving so much attention. 
HOW TO PLANT AND WHEN. 
The time for planting varies with the climate. 
The March season of Georgia is tho April of 
New York State. Every section must be gov¬ 
erned by the usual closing of its season of frost. 
Two months prior to tho last expected frost, seed 
may be sown iu hot-beds, or if—as ia the case 
with the great majority of families—uo hot-bed 
is on the premises, then in small boxes which 
should be placed on the window-sill in Borne 
room which is kept warm. This will furnish 
plants which, properly cared for, will be about 
ready to begin bearing by the time the sunny 
days of spring have arrived, when they can be 
transplanted into the garden. One paper of 
seed will be sufficient to supply an ordinary 
family. Twenty-five Tomato vines, properly 
cultivated will supply an average boarding¬ 
house for a season. 
IT IS BEST TO TRANSPLANT 
from the boxes or hot-beds when tho plants are 
two inches high, that thoy may have space iu 
