Grape Grafting. 467 



to injure the graft. When the cion is being squeezed so that its 

 form is altered it is well to insert a wooden wedge in the cleft to 

 relieve this excessive pressure. 



All that now remains to be done is to fill the cavity about the 

 stub with earth, and the cion should also be buried so that only 

 about an inch, or the part above the upper bud, remains uncovered. 

 The soil should be firmed slightly to prevent it from drying out, 

 and the operation is finished. Wax is sometimes used to cover 

 the cut surfaces of both cion and stock, but I have never been able 

 to see that any advantage was obtained from its use that the earth 

 did not grant equally well. Some have gone so far as to say that 

 its use is positively injurious, so when the grafts are placed below 

 the surface of the soil the use of wax is not recommended. 



The growth made the first season by such grafts is frequently 

 very large, and enough wood is formed and a sufficiently strong 

 union made to support nearly a full crop of grapes the next year. 

 If the operation is well done, therefore, only one season is entirely 

 lost and but a small part of the crop of the second. 

 ■ No. 2. Cleft graft on a partially severed vine. — This form of graft 

 differs from the preceding by not having the vine completely cut 

 off". A horizontal cut is made only about half way through the 

 stock, and then another cut is made, beginning from one to three 

 inches above the horizontal cut, and sawing inwards and down- 

 wards so that a w^edge-shaped piece is removed from one side of 

 the stem. The length of the downward cut should be about one 

 and a half times as long as the horizontal cut, in order to allow 

 the cleft to be made more easily. The manner of inserting the 

 cions is identical with that already described. 



The advantage of this form of graft is that if the cions die the 

 original vine is not lost, but will continue to bear. The yield 

 may be smaller, yet some crop 'is harvested whether the cions die 

 or live. In the latter case the old vine is pinched backed so as to 

 throw more sap into the grafts. The second year the old vine is 

 reduced still more and at the end of the year may be cut away 

 entirely, thus allowing the cions to take its place. In this man- 

 ner but a comparatively small loss in yield is sustained. 



