1846. THE CULTIVATOR. 123 
they were not often found to improve; the next move¬ 
ment being generally a retrograde one, sometimes are- 
turn even to the most indifferent kinds. 
Thus did this most indefatigable man go on planting 
and replanting, until having devoted the greater part of 
his life to the amelioration of fruit, his garden, many 
years before his death, contained of pears alone, more 
than two thousand varieties, none of which were be¬ 
low mediocrity, and many of them of surpassing excel¬ 
lence. In accomplishing this splendid achievement, he 
actually planted himself, and carefully examined the 
fruit of no less than 80,000 varieties. What a task for 
a single individual, anti what a rebuke for those who 
never plant at all! To him we are indebted for those 
splendid pears, the Beurre Diel, Beurre Bose, Dundas, 
Frederick of Wurtemburg, Queen of the Low Countries, 
and many others. What a debt of gratitude do we not 
awe to the successful cultivators of fruit generally, and 
to those great benefactors of the human family, just al¬ 
luded to, in particular! Let us evince our sense of the 
obligation by thoroughly opening our eyes to the good 
they have done us, and by availing ourselves without 
delay of the princely banquet they have set before us. 
It is now time to recur to the question at the head of 
this article. “ At what period of his life should a man 
plant fruit trees?” And will not my readers now agree 
with me that the period should only be limited by actu¬ 
al incapacity, and that we should continue to plant, to 
cultivate, and to improve, while providence lends us 
strength to execute the task; never doubting that we 
shall reap the fruits of our labor; and with the proud 
consciousness that if we have done something for our¬ 
selves, we have done far more for posterity, who will 
have cause to remember and to bless us. 
Port Chester , Jan. 3, 1846. Th. Close. 
THE FRUIT CULTURIST: 
Adapted to the climate of the Northern States, con¬ 
taining directions for raising Young Trees in the 
Nursery, and for the management of the Orchard and 
Fruit Garden. By John J. Thomas. 
Mr. Thomas is extensively known as an intelligent 
and successful cultivator of fruits. His extensive prac¬ 
tical knowledge and habitual accuracy, fully entjtle his 
observations to the respect and confidence with which 
they are generally received. In the work before us, 
his objects have been to furnish useful directions to 
those who may be little acquainted with the manage¬ 
ment of fruit trees, to promote the culture of the best 
varieties, and by encouraging the adoption of a proper 
system, to increase the production of fruits, and render 
more certain the profits of their cultivation. The au¬ 
thor has not intended in this case to furnish a large 
work—it consists of 220 pages, 18 mo, divided into 
two general divisions; the first containing twelve chap¬ 
ters under the head of “General Directions and 
Practices,” —and the second, twelve chapters, “On 
the Different Kinds of Fruits.” To these is 
added a “Descriptive List of Fruits,” embracing 
apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and 
apricots. An attentive examination of the book only is 
necessary to satisfy those acquainted with the subject, 
that it is well calculated to promote the objects for 
which it was designed. As applicable to the season, 
we present the following extracts on 
GRAFTING. 
“ The great number of modes described in books, 
have tended rather to bewilder than to enlighten be¬ 
ginners; the following remarks, therefore, are more for 
the purpose of laying down reasons on which success 
depends, than for pointing out the peculiar modes of 
operation, which may be varied according to con¬ 
venience, provided attention is given to the essential 
particulars. 
“ Propagation by grafting differs mainly and essen¬ 
tially from increasing by cuttings, by inserting the cut¬ 
ting into the growing stock of another tree, instead of 
directly into the soil. The stock thus supplies the sap, 
as the soil does in the case of a cutting; and the graft, 
instead of making roots of its own, extends its forming 
wood downwards, through the inner bark, into the 
stock itself. Hence there are two chief requisites for 
success: the first, that the graft be so set in the stock, 
that the sap may flowupvvard without interruption; and 
the second, that the forming wood may flow downward 
uninterruptedly through the inner bark. 
“ To effect these two requisites, it is needful, first , 
that the operation be performed with a sharp knife, that 
the vessels and pores may be cut smoothly and evenly, 
and the two parts be brought into immediate and even 
contact. Secondly , that the operation be so contrived 
that a permanent and considerable pressure be applied 
to keep all parts of these cut faces closely together. 
Thirdly, that the line of division between the inner 
bark and the wood, should coincide or exactly corres¬ 
pond in each; for if the inner bark of the one sets 
wholly on the wood of the other, the upward current 
through the wood and back through the bark, is bro¬ 
ken, and the graft cannot flourish nor grow. And, 
fourthly, that the wounded parts made by the operation, 
be effectually excluded from the external air, chiefly to 
retain a due quantity of moisture in the graft, but also 
to exclude the wet, until, by the growth of the graft, 
the union is effected. 
“1. The first requisite is best attained by keeping a 
keen, flat-bladed knife to cut the faces, and another 
knife for other purposes. 
“ 2. The second requires that the jaws of the stock 
in cleft-grafting, press with some force, but not too 
much, against the wedge-shaped sides of the graft. A 
stock one-third of an inch in diameter will sometimes 
do this sufficiently; but three-quarters of an inch is a 
more convenient size. In whip-grafting, the tongue 
and slit should be firmly crowded or bound together. 
3. “ The third requisite is attained by close examina¬ 
tion. 
“ 4. The fourth is accomplished by plasters of graft¬ 
ing-wax, and by the application of grafting-clay. Graft¬ 
ing wax may be made by melting together one pound 
of beeswax, two of tallow, and four of rosin.* It is 
spread, when melted or softened, on muslin or thin 
unsized paper, with a brush or spatula. It is some¬ 
times applied without plasters, in which case it should 
be worked with wet hands, until it may be drawn 
out into ribbons of wax, which are wrapped round the 
part. In all cases it should be applied closely, so as to 
allow if possible no interstices, and covering cut or split 
surface otherwise exposed to the air. In cool weather, 
a lantern, chafing-dish, or hot brick, is necessary to 
soften the plasters before applying them. 
“The annexed figures represent the two most com¬ 
mon modes usually adopted for fruit- 
trees; fig. 37 , representing whip¬ 
grafting, which if well performed 
with the parts closely pressed toge¬ 
ther, needs no ligature to keep the 
graft in its place; and fig. 38, the 
common mode, or cleft-grafting, 
which except for small stocks, is 
generally found best and most certain 
of success. 
“ It is hardly necessary here to men¬ 
tion that propagation by grafting and 
by cuttings is to be performed early 
in spring before the buds swell ;f and 
that the grafts or cuttings may be cut 
late in autumn or at any time during winter, provided 
the natural moisture is preserved until they are used. 
A convenient mode of thus preserving them, is to wrap 
or imbed them in damp, not wet moss; or bury them in 
a box, beneath the surface of a dry spot of earth, the box 
to be open downwards, and the grafts to be kept from 
contact with the earth by sticks across the inside of the 
box.” 
Fig 37 
* More wax and less rosin is less adhesive to the hands, but 
more expensive. 
t Grafts, if kept in a cold place, in a dormant state, till the 
leaves of the stock are expanded, may generally be inserted with 
success, if of the apple and pear. Cuttings are used at various 
seasons of the year, in hot-house culture 
