THE GRAFTED PAPAYA AS AX ANNUAL FRUIT TREE. 9 



(fig. 1), of which as many as 50 or more may be produced by a single 

 tree, that are used in grafting the papaya. One of these shoots is 

 taken when a few inches long and about the diameter of a lead pencil, 

 is sharpened to a wedge point, the leaf surface reduced, and insert ed in 

 a cleft in a young seedling papaya plant which has been decapitated 



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■I* 



Fig. 1.— Trunk of a papa3'a tree, showing shoots which arise from the leaf scars. Three or 

 four weeks after a tree is topped these shoots form and may be used for grafting. In 

 the background are two other topped trunks. 



when 6 to 10 inches high and split with an unusually sharp, thin graft- 

 ing knife. (P'ig. 2.) At this age the trunk of the young seedling has 

 not yet formed the hollow space in the center. It is not necessary for 

 the stock and the scion to be of equal size; the scion should not, 

 however, be larger than the stock. After inserting the scion, the 

 stock is tied firmly, but not tightly, with a short piece of soft twine. 

 The grafted plant should be shaded for a few days after the grafting 

 has been done and the twine should be removed on the sixth or 

 83728°— Cir. 119—13 2 



