36 



is quite low. This happened for me when I stored scions for a week 

 or two in the very cold bottom of an icebox. The most successful 

 grafters keep scions with a sort of intelligent neglect. Dr. Morris 

 buries them in tlir sawdust of his icehouse and it seems to make no 

 difference if ice is tliere or not. I once tried keeping them in an ice- 

 house over the ice and they became soaking wet. I have noticed that 

 Dr. Morris 's sawdust seems quite dry. Mr. Jones keeps some, at least, 

 of his in bins or barrels covered with burlaji bags. He says that heart- 

 nut scions keep best not packed away but kept in the open cellar. I 

 notice that Mr. Jones has been using some kind of mill planings in 

 place of s])hagnum moss. Branches and large scions will keep well in 

 a medium that seems dry to the touch. Small scions, such as those cut 

 from old ]iarcnt trees, require careful handling to prevent shriveling, 

 on the one hand, or bud starting on the other. A low temperature is 

 probablv desirable, but the right condition of moisture is essential to 

 the proper keeping of scions for any length of time. I should naturally 

 prefer to keep them ill darkness^ but I am not sure that it is important. 

 Undoubtedly the access of some air is necessary but it would be diffi- 

 cult to keep it altogether away. I do not know how long scions would 

 keej) if entirely covered with i:)araffine. One year I dipped all the 

 cut ends of my scions in melted paraffine but I am not sure that it is 

 worth the trouble. One year I packed away my scions in rather 

 moist sphagnum moss. The first time 1 looked at them they were 

 enmeshed in mold mycelium. Later many of the buds started to grow. 

 As suggested by ^Ir. Jones, dipping either the scions or the moss in 

 half strength Bordeaux mixture will remedy the mold trouble. Paren- 

 thetically, this should be of help in keeping chestnuts, chinkapins, and 

 other nuts that spoil easily with mold, for planting in the spring. 

 Packing scions tightly and heavily covered in boxes for any length of 

 time has been, in my observation, disastrous. In shiiajJing scions a 

 method advised, and one that I have followed with satisfaction, is to 

 wra]i the scions, either separately or together, in paraffine paper with- 

 out any packing next the scions but putting it, instead, outside the 

 pr.raffine paper. This packing may be sphagnum moss or mill plan- 

 ings slightly moistened. This also is wrapped in a moisture impervious 

 covering and then in ordinary wrapping paper. For shipping long 

 distances the moss or planings should be dipjjed in half strength Bor- 

 deaux mixture. 



The surface of the bark of scions that are being kept should al- 



