250 



REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



ANNULAR OR RING BUDDING. 



This method is one of the simplest and safest to use on the walnut, and 



especially adapted to young trees of two or three 

 years old, and to smooth limbs of large trees. In 

 this method a ring is cut right around the stock, 

 about an inch long. Then a ring of about the 

 same size is taken from the scion, containing a 

 bud, which is slipped into the corresponding 

 space in the stock, and then bound tightly with 

 soft cotton twine or cloth, covering it up to ex- 

 clude the air. The operation should be per- 

 formed when the trees are in full growth, during 

 July, August, or September, and left to lie dor- 

 mant through the winter, to be started in the 

 spring. 



Fig. 4- 

 pared. 



A. The stock 

 B. The bud. 



pre- 



GRAFTING THE WALNUT. 



Walnut grafting is not as easily performed as budding. Great care must 

 be exercised in the time and manner in which the operation is performed. 

 The walnut, as a rule, cannot be grafted successfully by the ordinary meth- 

 ods practiced on fruit trees. The reason is that the scions contain but little 

 wood, the pith in them being much greater than in scions of other trees ; 

 and when the scion is prepared (wedge-shaped) very little wood is left in it, 

 and the bark is so thin that, when inserted, it cannot unite with the stock, 

 not being held tlrmly in position. Terminal shoots, however, have a thicker 

 bark and more wood, and are most successful in grafting. Side-grafting is 

 accomplished with success, but can only be performed in the spring, when 

 the sap in the stock begins to rise ; this is necessary, as the scion must be 

 inserted when the bark peels, in the same manner as a bud. The walnut 

 does not put forth until quite late in spring, and to secure good, firm wood 

 it becomes necessary to gather the scions before the trees start; and that 

 they may be kept dormant, are covered with moist sand and placed in a 

 cellar or cool place. In this way they can be kept until the stocks have 

 made sulificient growth, so as to facilitate grafting. I have experimented in 

 grafting the walnut for over twenty years, and the most successful method 

 with me has been the prong graft or prong- bud (of my own origin). (See 

 Plate IX, Figs. 1 to 5, illustrating prong budding). In this method the small 

 l)rongs found at the extremity of the shoots are used. (Fig. 2, Plate IX, 

 illustrates the prong — scion — used, and how cut from the branch, reduced 

 one-half). The prong is cut as a bud. as shown in the illustration, and the 

 wood is partially removed with the point of a budding-knife, the same as in 

 the method of budding herein described. The stock is first prepared by 

 cutting off with a sharp saw and smoothing over with the knife ; a vertical 

 incision is made on the side, and the scion inserted and tied tight with 

 strong budding twine of at least eighteen-ply. The cuts are waxed over 

 with grafting wax. After the scion has started, the graft is examined from 



