Chap. IIII.
The diuers manners of grafting all sorts of fruits vsed in our Land.
The most vsuall manner of grafting in the stocke is so common and well known in this Land to euery one that hath any thing to doe with trees or an Orchard, that I think I shall take vpon mee a needlesse worke to set downe that is so well knowne to most; yet how common soeuer it is, some directions may profit euery one, without which it is not easily learned. And I doe not so much spend my time and paines herein for their sakes that haue knowledge, but for such as not knowing would faine be taught priuately, I meane, to reade the rules of the arte set downe in priuate, when they would refuse to learne of a Gardiner, or other by sight: and yet I discommend not that way vnto them to learne by sight; for one may see more in an instant by sight, then he shall learn by his own practice in a great while, especially if he be a little practised before he see a cunning hand to doe it. There are many other kindes of grafting, which shall be spoken of hereafter, and peraduenture euen they that know it well, may learne something they knew not before.
1. The grafting in the stocke, is, to set the sprigge of a good fruit into the body or stocke of another tree, bee it wilde or other, bee it young or old, to cause that tree to bring forth such fruit as the tree bore from whence you took the sprigge, and not such as the stocke or tree would haue borne, if it had not beene grafted, and is performed in this manner: Looke what tree or stocke you will chuse to graft on, you must with a small fine sawe and very sharpe, whip off, or cut off the head or toppe thereof at what height you eyther thinke best for your purpose, or conuenient for the tree: for if you graft a great tree, you cannot without endangering the whole, cut it downe so low to the ground, as you may without danger doe a small tree, or one that is of a reasonable size; and yet the lower or neerer the ground you graft a young tree, the safer it is both for your stocke and graft, because the sappe shall not ascend high, but soone giue vigour to the graft to take and shoote quickly: After you haue cut off the toppe of your stocke, cut or smooth the head thereof with a sharpe knife, that it may be as plaine and smooth as you can, and then cleaue it with a hammer or mallet, and with a strong knife, cleauer or chessell, either in the middle of it if it be small, or of a reasonable size, or on the sides an inch or more within the barke, if it be great: into both sides of the cleft put your grafts, or into one if the stocke bee smaller; which grafts must bee made fit for the purpose on this fashion: Hauing made choise of your grafts from the toppe branches especially, or from the sides of that tree whereof you would haue the fruit, and that they be of a reasonable good size, not too small or too great for your stockes, and of one or the same yeares shoote; (and yet many doe cut an inch or more of the olde wood with the sprigge of the last yeares growth, and so graft the old and young together, but both are good, and the old wood no better then the young) cut your graft not too long, but with two, three or foure eyes or buds at the most, which at the lower or bigger end for an inch long or more (for the greater stockes, and an inch or lesse for the lesser sort) must be so cut, that it be very thin on the one side from the shoulders downward, and thicker on the other, and thin also at the end, that it may goe downe close into the cleft, and rest at the shoulders on the head of the stocke: but take heede that in cutting your grafts your knife bee very sharpe that you doe not rayse any of the barke, eyther at the sides or the end, for feare of losing both your paines and graft, and stocke too peraduenture; and let not your grafts bee made long before you set them, or else put the ends of them in water to keepe them fresh and cleane: when you set them you must open the cleft of your stocke with a wedge or chessell as most doe, that the graft may goe easily into it, and that the barke of both graft and stocke may ioyne close the one to the other, which without stirring or displacing must bee so left in the cleft, and the wedge or chessell gently pulled forth; but because in the doing hereof consisteth in a manner the whole losse or gaine of your paines, graft and stocke, to preuent which inconuenience I doe vse an iron Instrument, the forme whereof is showne in the following page, marked with the letter A, crooked at both ends, and broade like vnto a chessell, the one bigger, and the other lesser, to fit all sorts of stockes, and the iron handle somewhat long betweene them both, that being thrust or knocked downe into the cleft, you may with your left hand open it as wide as is fit to let in your graft, without strayning, which being placed, this iron may bee pulled or knocked vp againe without any mouing of your graft: when you haue thus done, you must lay a good handfull or more (according to the bignesse of your stocke) of soft and well moistned clay or loame, well tempered together with short cut hey or horse dung, vpon the head of your stocke, as lowe or somewhat lower then the cleft, to keepe out all winde, raine or ayre from your graft vntill Midsomer at the least, that the graft be shot forth somewhat strongly, which then if you please may be remoued, and the cleft at the head only filled with a little clay to keepe out earewigs, or other things that may hurt your graft.
A. The Iron Instrument with chessels at each end, the one bigger and the other lesser, to keepe the cleft of the Tree open vntill the graft bee placed in the stocke, which with a knock vpwards will be easily taken away.
B. The small Penne-knife with a broad and thinne ended hafte, to raise the sides both of the bud and the down-right slit in the body or arme of a Tree to be grafted in the bud.
C. A pen or quil cut halfe round to take off a bud from the branch.
D. An Iuory Instrument made to the same fashion.