These grafts should be cut off from the trees before their buds begin to swell; which generally is three or four weeks before the season for grafting therefore when they are cut off, lay them in the ground with the cut downwards, burying them half their length, and covering their tops with dry litter, for preventing their drying. If a small joint of the former year's wood be cut off with the cion, it will preserve it the better; and when they are grafted, this may be cut off, for at the same time the cions must be cut to a proper length before they are inserted in the stocks; but till then the shoots should remain of the full length, as taken from the trees. If these cions are to be carried far, their ends ought to be put in a lump of clay, and wrap them up in moss, which preserves them fresh a month or longer; but these should be cut from the trees earlier than what are to be grafted near where the trees grow.

Next of the stock, or trees intended to be grafted: these are either old trees growing where they are to remain, whose fruit is intended to be changed, or young trees raised in the nursery for a supply to the garden. In the former, there is no other choice than of the branches, such as are

young, healthy, well situated, and have smooth bark: if these grow against walls or espaliers, there should be grafted six, eight or ten branches, as is the size of the trees by which they will be sooner furnished with branches again, than when a less number of cions are put in ; but in standard trees, four, or at most six cions will be sufficient.

In the choice of young stocks for grafting, prefer those raised from seeds, and that have been once or twice transplanted.

Next to these, the stocks raised from cuttings or layers. Suckers from the roots of other trees should always be rejected.

Having directed the choice of cions and stocks, he then speaks of the operation, and points out the following tools, viz.

1st. A neat small hand-saw for cutting off the heads of large stocks.

2. A good strong knife, with a thick back, to make clefts in the stocks.

3. A sharp pen-knife, or budding-knife, to cut the grafts.

4. A grafting chisel and a small mallet.

5. Bass strings or woollen yarn, to tie grafts with; and such other instruments and materials as may be found necessary.

6. A quantity of clay, prepared a month before wanted, and kept turned and mixed like morter every other day: this is to be made thus

Get a quantity of strong, fat loam: take new stone-horse dung, and break it in among the loam; cut a little straw or hay very small and mix amongst it, for making the loam hold together better; and if there be a quantity of salt added, the clay will be prevented from dividing in dry weather stir these well together, putting water to them as in making morter. It should be hollowed like a dish, filled with water, and kept every other day stirred: but let it not be exposed to frost or drying winds; and the oftener stirred the better.

Of late years, says Mr. F. some persons have made use of another composition for grafting, which keeps out the air better than clay. It is composed of turpentine, bees-wax and rosin, melted together; when of a proper consistence it is put on the stock, round the graft, as the clay usualJy is applied. If but a quarter inch thick, it keeps out the air better than the clay; and as cold will harden this, there is no danger of its being hurt by frost, which is apt to cause the clay to cleave, and sometimes to fall off; and when the heat of the summer comes on, this mixture will melt and fall off without trouble. In using this, there should be a tin pot, with conveniency to keep a very gentle fire with small coal; otherwise the cold will soon condense the mixture: but be careful not to apply it too hot, lest the graft be injured. A person a little accustomed to this composition will apply it very fast; and it is much easier for him to work with than clay, especially if the season is cold.

There are several ways of grafting, but there are four principal ones, [see pl. XI.] Perhaps the common whip-grafting alone might suffice for the farmer and country gardeners' purposes in grafting:

1. Grafting in the rind, or shoulder grafting, or crown grafting; proper only for large trees: performed the end of March or early in April.

2. Cleft-grafting, or stock, or slit-grafting: intended for lesser stocks, one or two, or more inches diameter in February or March.

:

3. Whip-grafting, or tongue-grafting; proper for small stocks, of one inch, half an inch, or less diameter: "It is the most effectual of any, and is the most in use."

4. Grafting by approach, or ablactation. This is practised when the stock to be grafted on, and the tree from which the graft is taken, stand so near each other that they may be joined; and should be performed in April. It also is called the Inarching method, and is chiefly used for Jasmines, Oranges, and other tender exotics.

For the several methods, in general, see the plate XI. But the common method of whip-grafting will suffice for the farmer's and country gardener's purposes.--It is thus performed by cutting off the head of the stock sloping; then make a notch