There is much discussion as to the relative merits of budding and root-grafting fruit-stocks, but the observations are usually so indefinite or irrelevant that safe conclusions cannot be drawn from them. We have seen that root-grafting serves an indispensable purpose in the cold prairie regions by enabling nurserymen to secure own-rooted trees of known hardiness. Aside from this it may be said that root-grafting is cheaper than budding, as it is performed when labor is cheap and two or more trees are made from one stock, Budded or crown-grafted trees possess a greater root and usually make a stronger growth, at least the first year or two, and it has been said that their roots are more numerous and more symmetrically disposed. But there is not yet a sufficient knowledge of the subject in all its details to allow of dogmatic expressions upon it. Saddle-Grafting.--Saddle-grafting is a simple and useful method for the shoots of small, growing plants. The stock is cut to a wedge-shaped end by two cuts, and the cion is split and set upon the wedge (Fig. 73). The union is then tied and waxed in the same way as exposed whip-grafts. It is oftenest employed when a terminal bud is used, as the wood in such cions is usually too weak to work well with a tongue. [Illustration: Fig. 73. Saddle-graft.] [Illustration: Fig. 74. Splice-grafting.] Splice-Grafting.--The simplest form of grafting is that shown in Fig. 74, in which the two parts are simply cut across diagonally and laid together. The parts are held only by the string, which, together with the wax, is applied in the same way as upon the whip-graft. Splice-grafting is frequently used upon soft or tender wood which will not admit of splitting. It is adapted only to small shoots.