"Cuttings can grow their own roots, if the conditions are right for them. Depending on the plant, it can be long and slow -- it won't receive all the benefits of being grafted to another, established tree. But once the roots come in, it can be planted in soil, and grow into a tree all its own. As for us," he says, eyes bright and smiling, "in many ways, many of us have already gotten stronger. Grafted plants can make use of each other's resistances, bear the stress of changing seasons, become something new. They're a bit unnatural -- some even say sinful. But to a tree that wouldn't flourish otherwise, what's a little sin against nature?" He laughs. "I may be overextending my metaphor. But needless to say: here I've seen many people learn from each other and grow together, in circumstances far from natural."