70 TJiANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Mr. W'lER— 1 have had some experience in grafting, and as for this 

 waxing, it is only of use in holding or strengthening the grafted parts 

 while handling. I have had just as good success without as with waxing. 



Mr. Net.son — In regard to this waxing, I think it excludes the air 

 too nuuh. 1 have had the best success without waxing, only tying. I 

 think this is all that is necessary, if the root is large enough. 



Mr. Flagg — What do you mean by excluding the air. Is not ab- 

 solute exclusion of air the best thing.-* 



Mr. Nelson — It never succeeds so well with me. 



Mr. Baldwin of LaSalle — The exclusion of the air where the graft 

 has been cut is all well enough, but if you in any way stop the pores of 

 a tree you injure it. If you varnish it all over, you kill it. I have used 

 wax, and I have used waxed thread. I prefer tying with sot't thread, 

 and if the grafted part is put below the ground, it is all sufficient. 



Mr. Clayton — It is a physiological law in the process of healing, 

 that the air should be excluded from th^ wound. Is not this the law in 

 grafting .-* 



Mr. Baldwin, of LaSalle — It is well to exclude the air where the 

 cut is made, which is sutticiently done by putting it under ground, but 

 it is not necessary to exclude air from the part above ground. This 

 would be injurious. 



Mr. Douglass — My experience is that of Mr. Baldwin. 



I have used waxed paper, but now use only the waxed thread ; it 

 answers every purpose, and does just as well as any other way. It is 

 only needed to strengthen the graft while handling. I think now, nearly 

 all the large nursery men have adopted the waxed thread as the best 

 method. It is cheaply and easily made. I take balls of cotton yarn 

 and throw them into a kettle of wax, and then lay theija on a rack to 

 drain. 



Mr. Flagg — What is the composition of your wax .-* 



Mr. Douglass — I shall have to answer as the good cook answered 

 when inquiry was made how she made her nice pudding. She said: I 



take a little flour, a piece of butter, and some rasins, and [laughter]. 



That is about the way I make my wax : I take some rosin, a piece of 

 tallow, and some beeswax, and melt them together. 



Mr. Baldwin, of LaSalle — The following proportion makes a good 

 mixture : three parts rosin, two parts beeswax, and one part tallow. 



