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PROPAGATION BY BUDDING AND GRAFTING 115
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budded to the desired variety. Graftage is employed in the
propagation of the tree-fruits in America, and of very many
ornamental trees and shrubs, and it is indispensable to the
nursery business.
Iri some specks, didi present no marked or named varietlies,-
propagation by seeds or cuttings is for various reasons so difficult
or uncertain that recourse must be had to graftage, quite
independently of the perpetuation of particular horticultural
Y&et ies. This is true in ma,ny of the firs and spruces, which
do not produce seeds to any extent in cultivation. In other
ens~ts, graftage is employed to a,id the healing of wounds or
to repair and fill broken tops. It has been used to make
infertile plants fertile, by grafting in the missing sex in
tlitxlcious trees, or a variet.y with more potent pollen as
yracticed in some of the native plums.
The oid discussion ass to whether
grafting is a devitalizing process is
quite a.side from the question, seeing
the many necessit.ies tha’t must
be met. Poor work and the match-
.7IG. 120. A natural graft of forest trees. Similar but nlaniyulnted grnft at
tlic right.