CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - ZetaTalk

PROPAGATION BY BUDDING AND GRAFTING 137description, is that which considers methods of making theunion. Some of these kinds of grafting are catalogued onpages 118 a.nd 119. The most important methods of graftingare now to be considered ; but almost endless modificationsmay be made in the details of the operations. The union ofthe cion with the stock, like the union of the bud and the stock,depends on the growing together of the cambial tissue of thetwo. It is essential, therefore, that the tissue lying betweenthe outer bark and the wood in the cion should come closelyin contact with the similar tissue of the stock.(‘ions are cut in fall or winter, or any time before the budsswell in spring. Ouly the previous year’s growth is used in allordinary cases, but in maples and some other trees, older woodmay be taken. In the grafting of peaches - which is rarelypracticed- the best cions are supposed to be those with a smallportion of two-year-old wood at the lower end. This old woodprobably serves no other than a mechanical purpose, as therecent wood is soft and pithy. It is a common opinion thatcions are worthless if cut in freezing weather, but this is unfoundedif the species is haidy.The cions a,re stored in sand, moss or sawdust in a cool cellar,or they may be buried in a sandy place. Or sometimes, whena few are wanted for top-grafting, they are thrust into theground beside the tree into which they are to be set the followingspring. If the cions are likely to start before the springgrafting can be undertaken, they may be placed in an icehouse.Only well-formed and mature buds should be used.Sometimes flower-buds are inserted for the purpose of fruitinga. new or rare variety the following yea.r, but unless particularpains is taken to nurse such a cion, it is likely to give only veryindifferent results.In practice, only three kinds of grafting need be much considered.These are whip-grafting, veneer-grafting and cleftgrafting.