2. READING. GRAFTING

 ^{Grafting Made Simple}

Grafting is a horticultural technique that is defined as attaching a twig (scion) from one tree to the stem of a tree seedling (rootstock).  Tissues of different plants are joined together. The tissues fuse together and the two plants continue to grow as one. Farmers can’t combine just any two plants. The plants have to be similar enough that the rootstock won’t reject the scion that is being grafted to it. It is not too dissimilar to blood transfusions in humans.

^{Grafting is done for a number of reasons. One reason is that some varieties of fruit have better roots and some have better fruits. Grafting allows farmers to combine the two and have the best rootstock and the best fruit. There are several types of grafting techniques that farmers can use. These include bark graft, side-veneer graft, splice graft, whip and tongue graft, saddle graft, bridge graft, inarch graft, etc.}

^{Scions are usually collected in the fall of the year after the plant has dropped all of its leaves and gone dormant. The scions are saved over winter and then grafted onto the desired rootstock in early spring. The plant is actively growing and will be more likely to accept the graft. However, there is a longer window of viability for budding. It can be done at any time the plant is growing throughout the spring, summer, and fall months. If the graft is successful, the bud will likely stay dormant until the next growing season.}

^{In order to graft, follow these steps. First, make a vertical incision through the rootstock's bark. Then, cut off an equal-sized piece of rootstock and connect the scion and the rootstock. Next secure the graft using a rubber band to hold the flaps in place. After that, protect the graft by wrapping it with a piece of aluminum foil, then a piece of plastic. An finally, tape the plastic lightly around the graft using masking tape. New buds should appear in 15 to 30 days. You may want to write the date and tree variety on the tape to keep track of multiple trees.}

^Questions:

^{1.-What do you do when you graft?}

^{2.-Can you graft any two plants?}

^{3.-What is the aim of grafting?}

^{4.-What is the best time to get scions?}

^{5.-What is the best time to graft?}

^{Vocabulary. Find words with the same meaning.}

^{1.-refuse: ………….    2.-not active: ………………   3.-deep cut: …………………  4.-sticking: …………………..}

^{True or false? Correct the false statements.}

^{1.-The scion is a stem.}

^{2.-A rootstock can reject a scion.}

^{3.-Scions are collected and immediately grafted.}

^{Use of English:}

^{1.-Change this sentence to past simple negative: The tissues fuse together and the two plants continue to grow as one.}

^{2.-Change this sentence to passive voice: “We make a vertical incision through the rootstock's bark”.}