198 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE 



instead of wood, until finally both stock and graft become 

 dwarfed in growth, and expend their energies in the produc- 

 tion of fruit instead of wood. 

 Mr. Houghtaling read the following 



ESSAY ON GRAFTING. 



I regard it as a subject of vast and untold importance, in 

 which all lovers of good fruit have an interest; but especially 

 60 to the orchardist and fruit-grower, because he is thereby 

 enabled to propagate such varieties as he may choose, and 

 multiply them at will, and if he is not satisfied with his first 

 choice, it is very easy to replace new tops on old bearing trees 

 of any kind that may be found desirable. 



I think it is something that every farmer and fruit-grower 

 should know how to do for themselves, as it is very easily 

 learned. Any one of ordinary genius can do it after once 

 seeing it done. 



There are a good many modes by which this work can be 

 performed successfnlly, but only some three or four in common 

 use. 



W^HIP OR SPLICE GRAFTING. 



This mode is used principally by nurserymen on small 

 stocks and root grafts in propagating young trees. This is 

 done by cutting both the scion and stock with a slope of an 

 inch or more, then make a slit in the middle of each, forming 

 a tongue ; then insert the tongue of one into the slit of the 

 other, taking care to have the inner bark as close in contact as 

 may be, then tying fast with a woolen string or basswood bark, 

 and cover with wax, or what is still better, a strip of cloth 

 covered with composition or grafting wax. 



CLEFT GRAFTING. 



This is the usual mode among orchardists, and is thought 

 to be the best on stocks of from one to two inches in diameter. 

 It is thus performed : The head of the stock is carefully sawed 

 ofi* in a smooth place and the top pared smooth, and then split 



