170 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  23.  19C0. 
bind  them  tightly  together.  Grtafting  wax  may  then  be  u£e^,  but 
this  is  not  always  necessary.  By  this  means  Camellias  are  usually 
increased ;  the  single-flowered  variety,  which  is  readily  grown  from 
cuttings,  being  used  as  stocks.  This  is  also  found  to  be  an  expedi¬ 
tions  method  of  proving  newly  introduced  varieties  of  the  Grape 
Vine,  taking  for  8t<  cks  yourg  growing  shoots  of  an  established  Vine. 
After  carefully  paring  away  corresponding  portions  of  wood  from  the 
stock  and  the  graft,  both  being  in  a  green  or  unripened  condition, 
fit  them  exactly,  and  bind  them,  tightly  together,  taking  care  at  the 
same  time  to  avoid  ciushing  or  bruising  the  irrmature  shoots  ;  as 
soon  as  a  union  is  formed  let  the  ligature  be  slackened  or  removed, 
and  the  stock  cut  back  to  within  an  eye  or  two  cf  the  junction, 
in  order  to  direct  as  much  as  possible  the  flow  of  sap  into  the  scion. 
Eoot-grafting :  the  roots  ot  many  plants  retain  their  vitality  long 
after  being  separated  from  the  other  parts  of  the  plants,  and  evidently 
only  require  the  presence  cf  buds  to  enable  them  to  develop  perfectly 
organised  plants.  Eoot-grafting  has  been  found  to  be  an  excellent 
and  very  expeditious  mcde  of  increasing  newly  introduced  plants, 
such  as  Roses,  Clematises,  Passicn  Flowers,  dec.,  inasmuch  as  a  very 
small  portion  of  the  kinds  to  be  inert ased  can  be  readily  grafted  on  a 
corresponding  portion  of  the  roots  of  some  of  their  more  common  or 
hardier  congeners,  and  under  favourable  treatment  they  very  quickly 
form  healthy  plants. 
In  addition  to  the  various  methods  already  referred  to  must  be 
mentioned  the  system  of  double  grafting,  from  which  great  advan¬ 
tages  have  been  derived.  It  is  found  that  some  of  cur  most  delicious 
varieties  of  Pears  succeed  but  indifferently  when  woiked  upon  the 
ordinary  Pear  stock,  also  when  grated  upon  the  Quince;  but  when 
the  system  of  double  grafting  is  adopted,  a  vast  improvement  is 
efSPected  in  the  healthy  development  of  the  delicate  varieties,  and  a 
corresponding  improvement  in  the  quality  of  their  fruit.  The  method 
usually  pursued  is  to  graft  the  Quince  with  some  of  the  stronger¬ 
growing  varieties,  as  a  “go-between”  or  intermediate  stock,  and  on 
this  to  bud  or  graft  the  more  delicate  but  desired  varieties. 
In  the  case  of  Cherries  the  stocks  in  general  use  are  the  wild 
Cherry  and  the  Mahaleb.  The  latter,  on  acci  unt  of  its  surface-rooting 
properties,  bears  a  similar  relation  to  the  wild  Cherry  that  the  Paradise 
does  to  the  common  Crab  as  stocks  for  the  Apple.  For  the  grafting  of 
Aj'ples,  when  intended  to  be  cultivated  as  standard  or  orchard  trees, 
the  common  Crab  is,  doubtless,  the  most  suitable  stock  ;  but  for  the 
more  delicate  dessert  varieties,  more  particularly  when  the  trees  are 
intended  to  be  grown  as  espaliers  or  cordons,  the  best  adapted  stock  is, 
doubtlessly,  the  Paradise  or  Doucin,  or  Pon  mier  de  Parad  s  of  the 
French.  There  would  appear,  however,  to  be  more  than  one  variety 
of  the  Paradise  stock  in  use,  and  there  would  even  appear  to  be  some 
divetsity  of  opinion  as  to  which  is  the  true  variety,  “and  when  doctors 
disagree  who  shall  decide  ?  ” 
So  great,  however,  is  the  influence  which  the  stock  exercises  upon 
the  scion,  and  the  scion  to  seme  extent  upon  the  stock,  and  so  vast  is 
also  the  influence  of  soil  and  situation  on  both,  that  the  subject  of 
stock  and  scion  opens  up  so  wide  and  extensive  a  field  for  research  and 
inquiry,  that  an  excellent  practical  pomologist  has  said  that  our  three¬ 
score  yeats  and  ten  hardly  afford  sufficient  time  to  thoroughly  explore 
and  investigate  it 
That  the  .'■tock  to  a  very  great  extent  influences  the  scion  as  regards 
vigour  of  constitution,  and  in  fruit  trees  productiveness  and  quality 
of  fruit,  is  not  to  be  doubted  ;  and  that  the  stock  and  the  scion  cannot 
in  any  degree  influence  or  alter  the  specific  character  of  each  other 
may  also,  I  think,  be  taken  for  granted.  But  the  problem  yet  remains 
to  be  solved  as  to  whether  or  not  other  conditions  or  peculiarities  than 
have  5  et  been  alluded  to  can  or-cannot  be  prcduced  by  the  influence 
of  the  one  upon  the  other;  and  should  it  be  found  that  the  scion  and 
the  stock  are  really  capable  of  producing  or  developing  certain 
cond’tions  or  peculiarities  in  each  other,  it  will  also  be  interesting  and 
necessary  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  these  peculiarities  are  of  so 
permanent  a  character  as  to  be  retained  by  a  part  separated  from  the 
individual  plant  upon  which  they  were  first  produced.  It  this  should 
be  found  to  be  the  case,  then  this  prodi  ction  may,  I  think,  with 
propriety  be  regarded  as  a  “graft  hybrid” — that  is,  a  distinct  variety, 
the  united  production  of  two  other  di^tinct  varieties,  partaking  more  or 
less  of  the  nature  and  character  of  each  of  these  varieties,  and  produced 
■without  sexual  union. 
My  attention  was  drawn  to  this  circumstance  some  time  since  by 
reading  some  extracts  from  an  essay  “On  the  Circulation  of  the  Sap,” 
by  Professor  Br  dley,  of  the  University  of  Cambridge,  and  dated  so 
early  as  the  year  1757.  This  learned  professor  says,  “  We  find  by 
inarching  or  inoculating  a  variegated  common  Jessamine,  whose  leaves 
are  edged  with  white,  into  either  the  jiain  common  sort  or  the  Spanish 
Jessamine,  or  the  Indian  or  Brazil  kinds,  that  the  malignity  which 
causes  the  whiteness  in  the  leaves  of  the  first  mixes  itself  in  such  a 
manner  with  the  juices  of  the  plant  it  is  engrafted  upon,  that  their 
leaves  become  infected  or  tinged  in  some  places  with  white  colour. 
If  we  put  only  a  bud  of  the  variegated  sort  into  a  plain  Jessamine 
10  or  12  feet  above  the  ground,  the  poison  will  reach  the  branches 
next  the  roof,  as  well  as  those  which  are  at  a  great  distance  above  it.’^' 
It  is  certain,  frtmwhat  the  learned  professor  says,  he  believed  the- 
condition  of  variegation, at  hast, could  with  certainty  be  communicated 
from  the  stock  to  the  scion,  also  from  the  scion  to  the  stock;  and  on 
reading  these  extracts  the  conclusion  I  came  to  was  that  experimenters 
of  that  period  must  have  been  similar  to  their  brethren  of  the  present 
day — viz.,  somewhat  inclined  to  jump  rather  hastily  at  conclusions,, 
and  I  regarded  this  leap  on  the  part  of  the  learned  professor  as  a 
somewhat  remarkable  performance.  At  the  same  time,  it  really  does- 
appear  that  there  are  authenticated  cases  to  be  pointed  out,  where  the 
entire  stock  appears  to  have  been  infused  or  inoculated  with  the 
conditions  of  variegation  by  the  simple  insertion  of  a  varieeat^d  scion 
or  bud.  As  cases  in  point,  mention  may  be  made  of  the  Breadalbane 
Ash,  the  Chelsea  Jasmine,  &c.,  and  also  the  case  of  a  green-leaved 
Abutilon  which  had  been  grafted  with  a  variegated  variety,, 
and  which  appears  to  have  induced  the  stock  to  throw  out  variegated' 
shoots. — G.  M.  C. 
Earfliing  Celery. 
We  have  just  finished  earthing-up  to  its  full  height  the  dwarf 
Celery  we  intend  for  use  early  in  September.  Our  next  bed  of  the- 
Incomparable  White  is  tolerably  strong,  but  shorter  than  usual.  One- 
advantage  of  this  variety  is  that  if  you  grow  it  from  15  to  18  inches 
high  you  can  send  it  to  table  12  br  15  inches  in  length.  We  have 
had  fine  specimens  for  the  salad-bowl  from  plants  not  more  than 
16  inches  in  height — a  matter  of  importance  for  the  holders  of  small 
gardens.  We  generally  grow  ours  in  beds,  three  or  four  rows  across. 
Such  dwarf  sorts,  it  will  be  observed,  need  little  earthing-up,  and 
ns  we  tie  every  plant  with  a  slight  strand  of  matting  there  is  no 
difficulty  whatever  in  the  earthing,  with  or  without  boards  placed 
across  between  the  rows.  The  bed  refeired  to  we  have  had  thoroughly 
cleaned  at  the  bottom,  removing  all  suckers  with  the  point  of  a  knife,, 
but  without  injuring  the  leaves  or  leafstalks  of  the  main  plant.  These 
plants  being  of  a  good  size  when  planted  out  were  looked  over  then,, 
but  still  a  few  more  suckers  will  be  likely  to  show  themselves,  and  if 
left  untouched,  especially  when  the  planting  is  rather  close,  will  so  far 
detract  from  the  strength  of  the  main  plant  or  head.  Sometimes  in 
early  Celery  we  have  left  the  suckers,  and  then  on  taking  up  for  salads 
the  smaller  blanched  suckers  proved  useful  for  soups  and  stews.  We 
have  thus  had  a  goed  stick  for  table  in  the  centre,  and  from  four  te 
half  a  dozen  small  blanched  sticks  or  shoots  round  it.  In  general,, 
however,  the  best  Celery  is  obtained  by  nipping  out  all  the  suckers 
that  appear,  so  that  the  strength  of  the  roots  shall  be  thrown  into  the 
one  main  plant  or  stem.  After  planting,  it  is  of  little  use  removing^ 
the  suckeis  until  the  plants  attain  a  good  size. 
Having  thus  dressed  the  bed,  we  proceed  to  tie  the  plants  8  or 
10  inches  from  the  ground  level.  In  tall  sorts,  as  in  a  red  bed,  the 
strands  of  matting  are  placed  higher,  according  to  the  height  of  the- 
plant.  This  tying  encourages  the  central  leaves  of  the  plant  to  rise,, 
and  even  causes  blanching  to  commence  at  the  centre.  There  is  no 
nicety  required  in  this  tying,  except  to  be  careful  to  tie  loosely  enough, 
so  as  to  leave  plenty  of  room  for  the  plant  to  expand  in  growth. 
Even  men  accustomed  to  the  work  are  apt  to  tie  the  plants  too  tightly. 
All  that  is  wanted  is  to  keep  it  together,  but  to  give  plenty  of  room 
fi  r  expansun.  The  object  of  the  tying,  besides  what  is  stated  above,. 
'8  to  keep  the  heart  free,  and  prevent  earth  finding  its  way  there,  as  it 
ullen  causes  the  centre  to  decay.  The  disadvantages  of  tight-tying 
a'e  that  the  band  is  apt  to  cut  the  outside  footstalks  of  the  leaves,  and 
the  heart,  instead  of  rising  freely,  is  forced  to  turn  back  on  iiself  or 
protrude  at  the  sides. 
The  removal  of  the  suckers  and  tying  involve  trampling  the- 
surface  of  the  bed ;  therefore,  when  tying  is  finished,  the  points  of  a 
light  fork  should  be  used  cn  the  surface ;  and  a  little  soot  may  be 
stiewn  along  the  bed,  and  a  good  watering  given.  In  a  week  or  so 
the  most  careless  tyers  will  see  the  importance  of  loose  tying,  as 
geneially  with  such  encouragement  the  growth  is  very  rapid,  after 
removing  the  surface.  This  bed  will  be  earthed-up  at  one  operation, 
or  at  most  in  two — generally  at  once — in  pieces  as  we  expect  it  to  be 
wanted,  say  three  weeks  beforehand.  When  long  t  ed,  less  time  will 
do.  For  instance,  in  this  large  bed,  most  likely  eight  days  or  so  after 
giving  a  good  watering,  we  shall  earth  up  at  once  4  or  5  yards  of  it, 
following  with  a  piece  more  every  eight  or  ten  days,  until  the  bed  be 
finished,  and  so  on  with  the  succession  beds.  By  doing  this  a  bolted 
or  run  head  of  early  Celery  is  with  us  a  rarity.  We  cannot  say  what; 
may  be  the  case  this  season,  for  our  young  Celery  had  scarcely  justice 
as  respects  moisture ;  but  for  a  number  of  years  we  had  not  a  single 
bolted  head  of  early  Celery  when  we  used  to  have  it  much  earlier  than 
now — that  is,  fit  for  use  in  the  beginning  of  July.  Of  course  when  to 
be  used  so  early  it  had  to  receive  a  considerable  amount  of  aitificiaL 
heat ;  in  fact,  the  trench  that  ultimately  received  it  was  a  mild  hotbed, 
at  the  bottom. — Z. 
