376 State Horticultural Society. 



generally high priced, selling at from five to ten times as much as 

 the older sorts. By first planting the land with standard sorts, and 

 at the same time putting out a few trees of each of the new kinds, it 

 will he possible, within a year or two, to obtain enough scions to top- 

 work all of the trees with the new varieties if desired, and at a cost 

 much less than had trees of the new varieties been purchased in sufti- 

 cient numbers to plant the entire orchard. 



It is seldom advisable to risk the extensive planting of new and un- 

 tried sorts, but if the course recommended above is followed it will be 

 possible, in most cases, to fruit the new sorts in two or three years, bv 

 grafting them upon bearing trees, and those that give the most promise 

 of value can be used for top-working the trees in the young orchard. 



In selecting varieties to plant out as stocks for top-working, care 

 should be taken to obtain such as are of vigorous growth, hardy, and 

 have strong, straight trunks, free from injury from- "sun-burn." For 

 special purposes they may be either one or three years from budding or 

 grafting, but two'year old trees will ordinarily give the best results. The 

 top-working may be done the year after the trees are planted, or may 

 be delayed for one or more years longer. Excellent results can be ob- 

 tained on young trees if the scions are whip grafted upon the small 

 branches about six inches from the trunk. In case any of the grafts fail 

 to grow, there will be a chance to bud the branches a little lower down 

 the following summer. If trees more than two years old are to be top- 

 grafted it is well to extend the work over two or three seasons. When 

 the heads have been started too high, the grafting can be performed upon 

 the trunk below the branches, using the whip-graft for small trees and 

 the cleft graft for larger ones up to an inch in diameter. 



Very good results can be obtained in starting orchards in this way 

 with apples, pears and plums, and under proper conditions with cherries, 

 but it should not be used with peaches. 



TOP- WORKING LARGE TREES. 



The grafting of older trees has been mucli more commonly prac- 

 ticed, and when performed for the purpose of changing the variety, 

 usually gives good results. On the otlier hand, failure generally results 

 when an attempt is made to rejuvenate an old and exhausted tree by 

 grafting. Some varieties have thin and delicate leaves that are seri- 

 ously injured by fungi, and such trees can generally be benefited if 

 top-worked with a variety having healthy foliage. When it is not desir- 

 able' to change the variety to improve either the fruit or foliage, no bene- 

 fit can be obtained by top-grafting the trees, as equally good results 



