Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-05-06
Grating.

shall only say few words on the affinity Of
gratis with the stocks on which they should
be worked in order to assist in DESTROYING
the errors of some ancient authors. and
which are sill credited by some persons,
who are led away with the false idea that
they may successfully graft trees, or other
pahS, on each other, aIihough,ihese should
have no family relationship III vunrv-
qucnce Of this ignorance, it has been said,
that i'll oder to obtain black roses. you
must graft ON the black currant, and to
have green on the box. They would also
wish to persuade us that all trees will take
on the olive, and the olive on the fig the vine
II the walnut and cherry; the peach on the
willow and the apple on the great cow
cabbage. etc. etc. Happily, our modern
authors, and the enlightened men of our
age, have entirely rejected these faIse asser-
tions. 1t is now we'll known that, in order
to graft with success any woody or herba-
ceouS plant, ii is necessary that the plant fur.
nlshing The graft be of the same family as
the stock or, frequently, that both should
belong tothe same genus. or 10 varieties Of
the same species. here should also be
some analogy between the saps of the two
individuals, not only on account of their af-
hnites, but also with reference to their
proper species. Thus, we may graft with
success the plum on the cherry, and vice
Uersa the apple takes on the pear, and
Oice Ucrsa; but although these genera are
OF the same family, nearly related, confound.
ed. or united by some learned botanisls, yet
they rarely exist united two or three years
With regard to vigor of the stocks. we pre-
fer those that are strong and hardy large
trees, and the weaker Tor those Of smaller
dimensions. AS to the persistence Of the
leaves, aud the movement of the sap in The
suhjectsto be united by grating, it is in
general necessary that they should nearly
correspond.
The pr per sorts of shoots for grating
AMI budding are not easily known by those
not well experienced in the art In taking
sho"is Tor buds, more especially. they some
times make enormous bIunders by cutting
either too earIJ or too late In general the
shoots ought to be OF medium thickness ex.
cepting those having slender wood. and in
that case the thIckest ought to be PREFER ID;
all ought to have made the greater part ol
Their growth, IN order that considerable
number OF the buds On the lower parts Of
the shoots may be completely formed. for
such only should be reserved for building.
seeing that the bark adjoining these will be
ais" III hrmer state; for If the parts are
too lender aud too herbaceous VIII en- placed
III the inclslon made in the stock. thew arc
y apt to be decomposed by the abundance Of
sap IN the latter, which ought aIwqys to be in
greater flew than that of the shoots which
furnish the buds.*
The shoots of this description being sen.
araed from the trees, the herbaceous OK.
temIes are Immediately cut off, as are
likewise the leaves attached to the eyes re.
served, always taking care to preserve at
least one'fourh of their petioIe.
The shoots should not be exposed to the
free air, and they should be kept in cool
moist place ill such time as they can be
budded but whatever means may he en-
pIoyed for preserving their vitality. we should
avoId too close packing, IN order to prevent
the fermentation OF the substances employ
ed for the purpose.
We know that the moss of our woods
Hypnum) is very proper for this purpose.
We gardeners often furnish ourselves with
a large hollowed-out cucumber in which
we place the shonts Ia this situation
they may be preserved in a good state for
ten days. If for longer period, they may
be put into bottle, witch must be filled up
with honey, and then corked and sealed
hermeticaIly. In this state they will be
preserved as fresh as possible during the
journey.
lam anxious to impress upon my readers the necessity
OF paying particular attention 10 this observation it IL
general fur all the opekatons.