or ENGRAFTING, in gardening, is the taking a shoot from one tree, and inferring it into another, in such a manner that both may unite closely and become one tree. By the ancient writers on husbandry and gardening, this operation is called infusion, to distinguish it from inoculation or budding, which they call infusere oculos.

Grafting hath been practised from the most remote antiquity; but its origin and invention is differently related by naturalists. Theophrastus tells us, that a bird having swallowed a fruit whole, cast it forth into a cleft or cavity of a rotten tree; where mixing with some of the putrid parts of the wood, and being washed with the rains, it budded, and produced within this tree another tree of a different kind. This led the husbandman to certain reflections, from which soon afterwards arose the art of engraving.

Pliny sets the same thing in a different light: a countryman having a mind to make a pallisade in his grounds, that it might endure the longer, he bethought himself to fill up and strengthen the bottom of the pallisade, by running or wattling it with the trunks of ivy. The effect of this was, that the stakes of the pallisades taking root, became engrafted into the trunks, and produced large trees; which suggested to the husbandman the art of engraving.

The use of grafting is to propagate any curious sorts of fruits so as to be certain of the kinds; which cannot be done by any other method: for as all the good fruits have been accidentally obtained from seeds, so the seeds of these, when sown, will many of them degenerate, and produce such fruit as is not worth the cultivating: but when shoots are taken from such trees as produce good fruit, these will never alter from their kind, whatever be their stock or tree on which they are grafted.

The reason or philosophy of engraving is somewhat obscure; and had not accident given the first hint, all our knowledge of nature would never have led us to it. The effect is ordinarily attributed to the diversity of the pores or ducts of the graft from those of the stock, which change the figure of the particles of the juices in passing through them to the rest of the tree.

Mr. Bradley, on occasion of some observations of Agricola, suggests something new on this head. The stock grafted on, he thinks, is only to be considered as a fund of vegetable matter, which is to be filtered through the cyon, and digested, and brought to maturity, as the time of growth in the vessels of the cyon directs. A cyon, therefore, of one kind, grafted on a tree of another, may be rather said to take root in the tree it is grafted in, than to unite itself with it: for it is visible that the cyon preserves its natural purity and intent, though it be fed and nourished with a more crab; which is, without doubt, occasioned by the difference of the vessels in the cyon from those of the stock: so that grafting may be justly compared to planting.

In prosecution of this view of that ingenious author, we add, that the natural juices of the earth, by their secretion secretion and commination in passing through the roots, &c. before they arrive at the cyon, must doubts arrive there half elaborated and concocted; and so disposed for a more easy, plentiful, and perfect assimilation and nutrition; whence the cyon must necessarily grow and thrive better and faster than if it were put immediately in the ground, there to live on coarse diet and harder of digestion: and the fruit produced by this further preparation in the cyon, must be finer and further exalted than if fed immediately from the more imperfectly prepared and altered juices of the stock.

Many have talked of changing of species, or producing mixed fruits, by engraving one tree on another of the same clas; but as the graft carries the juices from the stock to the pulp of the fruit, there is little hope of succeeding in such an expectation by ever so many repeated grafts: but if, after changing the graft and stock several successive times, you set the seed of the fruit produced on the graft in a good mould, it is possible that a change may happen, and a new mixed plant may be produced. Thus the almond and peach may, by many changes in the graftings, and by interrations of the stones of the peaches, end of the shells of the almonds, and by teribrations of the stem of the root here and there, alter their nature so much, that the coat or pulp of the almond may approach to the nature of the peach, and the peach may have its kernel enlarged into a kind of almond; and on the same principle, the curious gardener may produce many such mixed kinds of things.

Mr Du Hamel has observed, that, in grafting of trees, there is always found at the insertion of the graft, a change in the directions of fibres, and a fort of twisting or turning about of the vessels, which greatly imitates that in the formation of certain glands in animal bodies: and from thence he infers, that a new fort of viscous being formed by this means, the fruit may very naturally be so far influenced by it, as to be meliorated on the new branch; but that no such sudden and essential changes can be effected by those means, as too many of the writers on agriculture pretend. He observes, however, that this anatomical observation would not have been sufficient to convince him of the falsity of too many of these relations, had not experiment joined to confirm him in this opinion. He tried many grafts on different trees; and, for fear of error, repeated every experiment of consequence several times: but all served only to convince him of the truth of what he at first suspected. He grafted in the common way the peach upon the almond, the plum upon the apricot, the pear upon the apple, the quince, and the white thorn; one species of plum on other very different species, and upon the peach the apricot and the almond. All these succeeded alike: the species of the fruit was never altered; and in those which would not come to fruit, the leaves, the wood, and the flowers, were all the same with those of the tree from whence the graft was taken.

Authors on agriculture have also mentioned a very different sort of grafting; namely, the setting grafts of one tree upon stocks of a different genus; such as the grafting the pear upon the oak, the elm, the maple, or the plum, &c. Mr Du Hamel tried a great number of these experiments carefully, and found every one of them unsuccessful; and the natural conclusion from this was, that there must be some natural alliance between the stocks and their grafts, otherwise the latter will either never grow at all or very soon perish.

Notwithstanding the facility with which grafts generally take on good stocks, there are many accidents and uncertainties attending them in their different periods. Some perish immediately; some, after appearing healthy for many months, and some even for years. Of these last some die without the stock suffering any thing; others perish together with the stocks. It is very certain, that the greater part of grafted trees do not live so long as they would have done in their natural state; yet this is no unexceptionable rule: for there are some which evidently live the longer for this practice; nay, there are instances of grafts which, being placed on stocks naturally of short duration, live longer than when placed on those which are more robust and lasting. These irregularities have been but little considered hitherto, though they might be made productive of considerable advantages.—One great requisite for the succeeding of any graft is, that it be in its own nature capable of so close and intimate an union with the substance of the stock, that it becomes as it were a natural branch of it. If all trees resembled one another in their structure and juices, the size and elasticity of their vessels, &c. probably the grafts of all trees would succeed upon one another; but this is by no means the case.

Trees are well known to be composed of numerous arrangements of hollow fibres, and these are different and unequal in every species of tree. In order to the succeeding of a graft, it is plain that there must be a conformity in its vessels and juices with those of the stock; and the more nearly they agree in this, probably the better they succeed; and the farther they differ, the worse.—If there be, however, some difference in the solid parts of trees, there are evidently many more in the juices. The sap in some trees is white as milk, in others it is reddish, and in some as clear and limpid as water. In some, it is thin and very fluid; in others, thick and viscous. In the taste and smell of these juices there are also not less differences: some are sweet, some insipid, some bitter, some acid, and some fetid: the quality of the sap thus makes a very great difference in the nature of trees; but its quantity, and derivation to the parts, is scarce less observable. Of this we have familiar instances in the willow and the box; one of which will produce longer shoots in one year than the other in twenty.

Another difference yet more striking, and indeed more essential in regard to the growth of grafts than all these, is the different season of the year at which trees shoot out their leaves, or ripen their flowers. The almond-tree is in flower before other trees in general have opened their earliest buds; and when other trees are in flower, this is full of leaves, and has its fruit set before the mulberry begins to push out its earliest buttons. When we consider all these differences in trees, we cannot but wonder how it is possible for a branch of one to live upon another; and it becomes a much more perplexing question how any graft can succeed, than how such numbers come to miscarry. A graft of one pear upon another shall be seen to succeed presently as if upon its own tree; and in a fortnight will gain six inches in length, and so of some others.—This must be owing to the great similarity between the stock and the graft in all respects; and a great contrariety or difference in structure of parts will make as remarkable a difference on the other hand. An instance of this may be observed in the plum and the elm; which no art can ever make to succeed upon one another, whether the plum be grafted on the elm, or the elm upon the plum stock. These are examples of the extremes of easy growth, and of absolute decay; but there are many conjunctions of trees which seem of a middle nature between the two, and neither immediately perish, nor totally succeed. Of these, such as were grafted in autumn usually remain green the whole winter without pushing; and those which are grafted in spring remain green a month or longer, but still without shooting. Some particular ones have also been known to make a few shoots the first, or even the second spring after the operation; but all perish at the end of these times. Of this kind are the grafts of the pear-tree upon the elm, the maple, and the hornbeam, and the mulberry upon the elm and fig, with many others.

When we come to inquire into the cause of this, we find that these grafts, though unnatural, have yet had a communication with the stock by means of a few small vessels, which has been sufficient to keep them green, or even to make them shoot a little, during the great ascent of the sap: But the far greater number of the fibres have had all the while no communication, and are found putrified, dried up, or covered with a putrid juice. This has evidently happened by means of the disproportion in size between the vessels of the stock and of the graft, and the great difference between their natural juices, which are obstacles abundantly sufficient to prevent either an union of the fibres or the introduction of new sap.

The grafts of the almond on the plum, and of the plum on the almond, always grow very vigorously for the first year, and give all the appearances imaginable of succeeding entirely; yet they always perish in the second or third year. The almond graft upon the plum-stock always pushes out very vigorously at first; but the part of the stock immediately under the graft grows smaller and perishes, the graft absorbing too much of the juices, and the graft necessarily perishes with it. The decay of the whole generally happens early in the spring; and that plainly from the different reason of the natural shooting of the two trees, the almond pushing very vigorously, and consequently draining the stock of its juices, at a time when, according to its nature, the juices are but in small quantity in it, and the sap does not begin to ascend. The grafts of the plum on the almond are, from the same cause, furnished with an abundance of sap which they have at that time no occasion for; and consequently they as certainly perish of repletion, as the other of inanition.

The peach grafted on the plum succeeds excellently, and lives longer than it would have done in a natural state; the reason seems to be, that the peach is a tender tree, shoots with great vivacity, and produces more branches than the root is able to maintain. Thus the peach trees are usually full of dead wood; and often their large branches perish, and sometimes their whole trunk. On this occasion the plum, being a slow shooting tree, communicates its virtue to the graft; and the peach consequently feeds out shoots which are more robust and strong, and are no more in number than the root is able to supply with nourishment, and consequently the tree is the more lasting.

The grafts, or cyons, with which the grafting is effected, are young shoots of last summer's growth, for they must not be more than one year, and such as grow on the outside branches, and robust but moderate shooters; such also as are firm and well ripened, should always be chosen from healthful trees: observing, that the middle part of each shoot is always the best graft, cut at the time of grafting to five or six inches in length, or so as to have four or five good eyes or buds; but should be preserved at full length till grafting time, and then prepared as hereafter directed.

They should be collected or cut from the trees in February, in mild weather, before their buds begin to swell, or advance much for shooting: in collecting them, choose such as have not made lateral or side shoots; cut them off at full length; and if they are not to be used as soon as they are collected, lay their lower ends in some dry earth in a warm border till grafting time, and, if severe weather should happen, cover them with dry litter.

The proper tools and other materials used in grafting, are, 1. A strong knife for cutting off the heads of the stocks, previous to the insertion of the graft; also a small hand-faw for occasional use in cutting off the heads of large stocks. 2. A common grafting-knife, or strong sharp pen-knife, for cutting and shaping the grafts ready for insertion; also to slope and form the stocks for the reception of the grafts. 3. A flat grafting-chisel and small mallet for cleaving large stocks, in cleft-grafting, for the reception of the graft. 4. A quantity of new balsam strings for bandages, for tying the grafted parts close, to secure the grafts, and promote their speedy union with the stock. And, 5. A quantity of grafting clay, for claying closely round the grafts after their insertion and binding, to defend the parts from being dried by the sun and winds, or too much liquified by wet, or pinched by cold; for these parts ought to be closely surrounded with a coat of clay in such a manner as effectually to guard them from all weathers, which would prove injurious to young grafts, and destroy their cementing property, so as to prevent the junction: therefore, a kind of stiff loamy mortar must be prepared of strong fat loam, or, in default thereof, any sort of tough binding clay, either of which should be laid in an heap, adding thereto about a fourth of fresh horse-dung free from litter, and a portion of cut hay, mixing the whole well together, and adding a little water; then let the whole be well beaten with a stick upon a floor, or other hard subsistence; and as it becomes too dry, apply more water, at every beating turning it over, always continuing to beat it well at top till it becomes flat; which must be repeated more or less according to the nature of the clay, but should be several times done the first day: next morning repeat the beating, still moistening it with water; and by thus repeating the beating five or eight times every day for two or three days, or every other day at least for a week, it will be in pro- per order for use; observing, it should be prepared a week at least before it is used, but if a month the better.

The season for performing the operation of grafting is February and March: though, when the work is performed in February, it for the general part proves the most successful, more especially for cherries, plums, and pears; and March grafting is well adapted for apples.

There are different methods of grafting in practice, termed Whip-grafting—Cleft-grafting—Crown-grafting—Check-grafting—Side-grafting—Root-grafting—and Grafting by approach or Inarching: but Whip-grafting and Cleft-grafting are most commonly used; and Whip-grafting most of all, as being the most expeditions and successful of any.

Whip-grafting.—This being the most successful method of grafting is the most commonly practised in all the nurseries; it is always performed upon small stocks, from about the size of a goose-quill to half an inch or a little more or less in diameter, but the nearer the stock and graft approach in size the better; and is called whip-grafting, because the grafts and stocks being nearly of a size, are sloped on one side, so as to fit each other, and tied together in the manner of whips, or joints of angling-rods, &c. and the method is as follows. Having the cyons or grafts, knife, bandages, and clay ready, then begin the work by cutting off the head of the stock at some clear smooth part thereof; this done, cut one side sloping upward, about an inch and half or near two inches in length, and make a notch or small slit near the upper part of the slope downward about half an inch long, to receive the tongue of the cyon; then prepare the cyon, cutting it to five or six inches in length, forming the lower end also in a sloping manner, so as exactly to fit the sloped part of the stock, as if cut from the same place, that the rinds of both may join evenly in every part; and make a slit so as to form a sort of tongue to fit the slit made in the slope of the stock; then place the graft, inserting the tongue of it into the slit of the stock, applying the parts as evenly and close as possible; and immediately tie the parts close together with a string of bals, bringing it in a neat manner several times round the stock and graft; then clay the whole over near an inch thick on every side, from about half an inch or more below the bottom of the graft, to an inch over the top of the stock, finishing the whole coat of clay in a kind of oval globular form, rather longwise, up and down, closing it effectually about the cyon, and every part, so as no sun, wind, nor wet may penetrate, to prevent which is the whole intention of claying; observing to examine it now and then, to see if it anywhere cracks or falls off, and if it does it must be instantly repaired with fresh clay. This sort of grafting may also be performed, if necessary, upon the young shoots of any bearing tree, if intended to alter the sorts of fruits, or have more than one sort on the same tree. By the middle or latter end of May, the grafts will be well united with the stock, as will be evident by the shooting of the graft; then the clay should be wholly taken away; but suffer the bals bandage to remain some time longer until the united parts seem to swell and be too much confined by the ligature, then take the tying wholly off. Their farther culture is directed under the respective articles, whether designed for dwarfs or standards, &c.

Cleft-grafting.—This is so called, because the stock being too large for whip-grafting is cleft or slit down the middle for the reception of the graft; and is performed upon stocks from about one to two inches diameter. First, with a strong knife cut off the head of the stock; or if the stock is very large, it may be headed with a saw; and cut one side sloping upwards about an inch and half to the top; then proceed with a strong knife or chisel, to cleave the stock at top, across-way the slope, fixing the knife or chisel towards the back of the slope, and with your mallet strike it, so as to cleave the stock about two inches, or long enough to admit the graft, keeping it open with the chisel; this done, prepare the cyon, cutting it to such length as to leave four or five eyes, the lower part of which being sloped on each side, wedge-fashion, an inch and half or two inches long, making one side to a thin edge, the other much thicker, leaving the rind thereon, which side must be placed outward in the stock; the cyon being thus formed, and the cleft in the stock being made and kept open with the chisel, place the graft therein at the back of the stock the thickest side outward, placing the whole cut part down into the cleft of the stock, making the rind of the stock and graft join exactly; then removing the grafting chisel, each side of the cleft will closely squeeze the graft, so as to hold it fast; it is then to be bound with a ligature of bals, and clayed over, as observed in whip-grafting, leaving three or four eyes of the cyons uncovered. If intended to graft any pretty large stocks or branches by this method, two or more grafts may be inserted in each; in this case the head must be cut off horizontally, making no slope on the side, but smooth the top, then cleave it quite across, and place a graft on each side, as the stock may be cleft in two places, and insert two grafts in each cleft; they are thus to be tied and clayed as in the other methods. This method of grafting may be performed upon the branches of bearing trees, when intended either to renew the wood or change the sort of fruit. Towards the latter end of May, or the beginning of June, the junction of the graft and stock in either method will be effectually formed, and the graft begin to shoot, when the clay may be taken off, and in a fortnight or three weeks after take off also the bandages.

Crown-grafting.—This kind of grafting is commonly practised upon such stocks as are too large to cleave, and is often performed upon the large branches of apple and pear trees, &c. that already bear fruit, when it is intended to change the sorts, or renew the tree with fresh-bearing wood. It is termed crown-grafting, because the stock or branch being headed down, several grafts are inserted at top all around between the wood and bark, so as to give it a crown-like appearance; observing, that this kind of grafting should not be performed until March or early in April; for then the sap being in motion, renders the bark and wood of the stock much easier to be separated for the admission of the graft.—The manner of performing this sort of grafting is as follows: First, cut off the head of the stock or branch with a saw horizontally, and pare the top smooth; then having the grafts, cut one side of each flat, and somewhat sloping, an inch and Grafting, a half, forming a sort of shoulder at top of the slope to rest upon the crown of the stock; and then raising the rind of the stock with a wedge, so as to admit the cyon between that and the wood two inches down, place the grafts with the flat side next the wood, thrusting it down far enough for the shoulder to rest upon the top of the stock; and in this manner may be put three, four, five, or more grafts in one large stock or branch. When the grafts are all thus inserted, let the whole be tied tight and well clayed; observing to leave two or three eyes of each graft uncovered, but raising the clay an inch above the top of the stock, so as to throw the wet quickly off, without lodging about the grafted parts, which would ruin the whole work. Crown-grafting may also be performed, by making several clefts in the crown of the stock, and inserting the grafts round the top of the clefts. The grafts will be pretty well united with the stock, and exhibit a state of growth, by the end of May or beginning of June, and the clay may then be taken away. The trees grafted by this method will succeed extremely well; but, for the first two or three years, have this inconvenience attending them, of being liable to be blown out of the stock by violent winds; which must be remedied by tying long sticks to the body of the stock or branch, and each graft tied up to one of the sticks.

Check-grafting.—Cut the head of the stock off, horizontally, and pare the top smooth; then cut one side sloping an inch and half or two inches deep, and cut the lower part of the graft sloping the same length, making a sort of shoulder at top of the sloped part; it is then to be placed upon the sloped part of the stock, resting the shoulder upon the crown of it; bind it with bals, and finish with a covering of clay as in the other methods.

Side-grafting.—This is done by inserting grafts into the sides of the branches without heading them down; and may be practised upon trees to fill up any vacancy, or for the purpose of variety, to have several sorts of apples, pears, plums, &c. upon the same tree. It is performed thus. Fix upon such parts of the branches where wood is wanted to furnish the head or any part of the tree; there slope off the bark and a little of the wood, and cut the lower end of the grafts to fit the part as near as possible; then join them to the branch, and tie them with bals, and clay them over.

Root-grafting.—This is done by Whip-grafting cyons upon pieces of the root of any tree of the same genus, and planting the root where it is to remain; it will take root, draw nourishment, and feed the graft.

Grafting by Approach, or Inarching.—This sort of grafting is, when the stocks designed to be grafted, and the tree from which you intend to take the graft, either grow so near, or can be placed so near together, that the branch or graft may be made to approach the stock, without separating it from the tree, till after its union or junction with the stock; so that the branch or graft being bent to the stock, they together form a sort of arch; whence it is called Grafting by Approach, or Inarching. Being a sure method, it is commonly practised upon such trees as are with difficulty made to succeed by any of the former ways of grafting. When intended to propagate any kind of tree or shrub by this method of grafting, if the tree, &c. is of the hardy kind, and growing in the full ground, a proper quantity of young plants for stocks must be set round it; and when grown of a proper height, the work of inarching must be performed; or, if the branches of the tree you design to graft from is too high for the stocks, in that case stocks must be planted in pots, and a slight stage must be erected around the tree, of due height to reach the branches, and the pots containing the stocks must be placed upon the stage. As to the method of performing the work: Observe, that in this method of grafting, it is sometimes performed with the head of the stock cut off, and sometimes with the head left on till the graft is united with the stock; though, by previously heading the stock, the work is much easier performed; and having no top, its whole effort will be directed to the nourishment of the graft; having, however, the stocks properly placed, either planted in the ground, or in pots around the tree to be propagated; then make the most convenient branches approach the stock, and mark on the body of the branches the parts where they will most easily join to the stock, and in those parts of each branch pare away the bark and part of the wood two or three inches in length, and in the same manner pare the stock in the proper place for the juncture of the graft; then make a slit upwards in the branch, so as to form a sort of tongue, and make a slit downwards in the stock to admit it; let the parts be then joined, slipping the tongue of the graft into the slit of the stock, making the whole join in an exact manner, and tie them closely together with bals, and afterwards cover the whole with a due quantity of clay, as before directed in the other methods. After this, let a stout stake be fixed, if possible, for the support of each graft; to which let that part of the stock and graft be fastened, which is necessary to prevent their being disjointed by the wind. The operation being performed in spring, let them remain in that position about four months, when they will be united, and the graft may then be separated from the mother-tree. In doing this, be careful to perform it with a steady hand, so as not to loosen or break out the graft, slopping it off downwards close to the stock; and if the head of the stock was not cut down at the time of grafting, it must now be done close to the graft, and all the old clay and bandage must also be cleared away, and replaced with new, to remain a few weeks longer. Observe, however, that if you shall think the grafts are not firmly united with the stock in the period of time above mentioned, let them remain another year till autumn, before you separate the grafts from the parent-tree. By this kind of grafting, you may raise almost any kind of tree or shrub, which is often done by way of curiosity, to ingraft a fruit bearing branch of a fruit-tree upon any common stock of the same fraternity or genus, whereby a new tree bearing fruit is raised in a few months. This is sometimes practised upon orange and lemon trees, &c. by grafting bearing branches upon stocks raised from the kernels of any of the same kind of fruit, or into branches of each other, so as to have oranges, lemons, and citrons, all on the same tree.

An anonymous author has given us in a treatise, published at Hamburgh, under the title Amenitatis Hortenses Novae, a new method of grafting trees, fo Grafting, as to have very beautiful pyramids of fruit upon them, which will exceed in beauty, flavour, and quantity, all that can be otherwise produced. This, he says, he had long experienced, and gives the following method of doing it. The trees are to be transplanted in autumn, and all their branches cut off. Early in the following summer the young shoots are to be pulled off, and the buds are then to be ingrafted into them in an inverted direction. This, he says, adds not only to the beauty of the pyramids, but also makes the branches more fruitful. These are to be closely connected to the trunk, and to be fastened in with the common ligature; they are to be placed circularly round the tree, three buds in each circle, and these circles at six inches distance from one another. The old trees may be grafted in this manner, the success having been found very good in those of twenty years standing; but the most eligible trees are those which are young, vigorous, and full of juice, and are not above a finger or two thick. When these young trees are transplanted, they must be fenced round with pales to defend them from the violence of the wind; and there must be no dung put to them till they are thoroughly rooted, for fear of rotting them before the fibres strike. The buds ingrafted must be small, that the wounds made in the bark to receive them, not being very large, may heal the sooner; and if the buds do not succeed, which will be perceived in a fortnight, there must be others put in their place. The wound made to receive these buds must be a straight cut, parallel to the horizon; and the piece of bark taken out must be downward, that the rain may not get in at the wound. In the autumn of the same year, this will be a green and flourishing pyramid; and the next summer it will flower, and ripen its fruit in autumn.