SECRETARY'S REPORT. 207 



Graftwg. This may be commenced the second year after ma- 

 nuring. I wish to be understood that renovating an orchard, is a 

 work of time. With proper care, it may soon yield a return on the 

 money invested. So grafting should not be commenced till the 

 woody growth of the tree has been revived by the treatment of the 

 previous year. The scions will not then become dwarfed, but will 

 at once commence a healthy and vigorous growth. Do not graft too 

 long limbs. They rarely ever do well. Those from one to one and 

 a half inch in diameter, are large enough for this purpose. Trim 

 as little as possible this year. The habit of docking the whole top 

 of a tree is apt to be fatal. All the limbs in a tree suitable for 

 grafting, may be grafted the first year, provided there is a large 

 number of under-branches and twigs on the limbs. See that you 

 make use of vigorous scions of the last year's growth. Make use of 

 vigorous kinds of trees to graft into those of an unhealthy aspect. 

 The Baldwin is excellent for this purpose. Slow growing varieties 

 should never be grafted into such trees. The earlier in the season 

 you graft an old tree, the more likely it will be to succeed. It only 

 wants a warm day in March or April, even when the snow is on the 

 ground, if the wood is sufficiently warm for the wax to adhere to the 

 bark. If the wood is too cold, or wet, it cracks off and destroys 

 your graft. I practice shouldering my scions, with much success. 

 I obtain a better fit to the cleft than by a wedge. In plum trees I 

 use it altogether. It takes a little more time, but everything about 

 grafting, pays well to have it done in the best possible manner. Be 

 exceedingly careful to press the wax closely to the wood on the end 

 of the stock, and around the scion. Many fail, from a neglect of 

 this precaution. Make your wax a little softer than is usually pre- 

 scribed in the books. It will be better in this climate. One part 

 linseed oil, two parts bees-wax, and four parts rosin, is a ytx^ good 

 proportion. Simmer together in an iron kettle, and pour it into a 

 tub of cold water and work it like shoemaker's wax, or molasses 

 candy. If it is too soft, use more rosin ; if too hard, more oil. You 

 can test it by dropping a little into cold Avater and working it. 



After you have finished grafting for the season, go round with 

 your paint pot and cover every wound, large and small, with paint. 

 Sometimes, a very small twig will bleed so as to blacken the whole 

 limb below. This is frequently the case with young trees, and 



