Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/188

176 on. The stock is not to be beheaded until after the graft has grown, and both stock and scion should be in a state of vigorous health. Select on the named variety a branch that may be easily drawn aside and bound to the stock, and mark where they can be made to meet easily without straining either. Pare away with a sharp knife about two inches’ length of bark on both stock and graft where they meet, and sufficiently deep into the wood of each, so as to bring the edges of the bark of each into close contact, but beware of cutting too deeply into the wood. Make a small tongue upwards in the scion, and downwards in the stock, as in side grafting; fit the parts together and tie with bast. There need be no claying



or waxing, for if the operation is performed in a house suitably warm and moist, junction will soon take place. The appearance of the plants operated upon will be as in the subjoined cut; of course one bushy plant of a chosen variety may be surrounded with stocks, and supply scions for them all by a little management. In about nine weeks from the time of the operation the scions may be separated from the parent plants, and the bast removed. In cases where the plants cannot be brought into contact, the scions must be cut off the plant to be propagated. The inarching is to be performed in precisely the same manner as first described, and the end of the scion must be inserted in a phial of water suspended to some part of the stock as in the second figure.