"To begin with, the upper part and the lower parts of our fruit-trees are different. The root and a little of the lower stalk is from a seed, and upon this has been grafted or spliced with soft bands and wax, a bud from some choice kind of peach or apple or plum, or whatever the tree is to be, and this new bud grows and forms the tree. Sometimes a bud of the choice kind is merely inserted beneath the bark of another tree and grows and forms a new limb. By and by, when it bears fruit, the fruit will be of the kind that was on the choice tree, but the seed, though it looks just the same, may be altogether different. If a seed like that is planted, it may make a tree like the root part of the one from which it came, or it may make a tree like the upper part, or it may make something different from either one. No one can tell what that seed will bring. So fruit growers plant a great many such seeds each year, and once in a great while some new peach, or apple, or plum, or cherry, finer than anything ever grown before, comes from one of those seeds. Then every little limb of that tree is saved and grafted or spliced to a lot of sturdy little roots that have come from other seeds, and this new kind of fruit goes out all over the world and is grafted, and re-grafted, until there are trees everywhere of the new kind." [Illustration: The bark is slit to receive the bud The bud is inserted in the opening The limb is then closely bound BUDDING] "And wouldn't I get those same fine peaches we had last year if I planted the seeds?" asked Davy. "You might, Davy, but there are a hundred chances to one that you would get a very poor, small peach, which you would not care to eat." Davy looked disappointed. "Well," he said, "I might as well pull it up, then." "Why, did you plant one, Davy?" asked the Chief Gardener. "Yes, last summer. I didn't know then, and after I ate my peach I planted the seed over there in the corner, and now it's just coming up, and I was going to keep it for a surprise for you." "That's too bad, Davy, but let it grow, anyway. Perhaps it will make some new and wonderful kind. Even if it doesn't, we can have the limbs grafted when it is larger." "Oh, and can you have more than one kind on a tree?" "Why, yes, I have seen as many as three or four kinds of apples on one tree." "And peaches, and apples, and plums, and pears, all on one tree, too?" said Prue. "Why that would be a regular fairy tree!" "We could hardly have that," laughed the Chief Gardener, "though I have heard of peaches, and nectarines, and plums being all on one tree, though I have never seen it. I don't think such things do very well." They went over to look at Davy's little peach-tree, which was fresh and green and tender, and seemed to be growing nicely. "It should have fruit on it in three years," said the Chief Gardener. Davy and Prue did not look very happy at this. It seemed such a long time to wait.