60 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Young trees top worked with buds or scions from bearing trees will bear 

 a year or two earlier than trees propagated with buds from nursery 

 stock. 



From this we see that top-working is practical on both young and 

 old trees. On young trees budding, whip and tongue, cleft and branch 

 grafting are used. All the processes of grafting involve the insertion of 

 a scion on the stock so that the growing parts of both are in contact. 

 The operation is performed in the spring just before the foliage starts 

 to push forth though it may be done a little earlier or later. 



The process of budding consists in the insertion of a bud attached 

 to a piece of bark into a slit or matrix in the stock. Shield budding 

 is most commonly practiced, and is so named from the shape of the 

 bud with its adherent back. The best time for budding is early 

 September. The young tree may be either body or branch budded. In 

 the latter case the buds are placed several inches from the stem so that 

 in case the fall bud dies another may be set the following June or 

 September. As soon as the bud commences growth in the spring, the 

 branch is cut off at a distance of about 2 inches above the bud. This 

 to prevent the new shoot from blowing out. After a few weeks the 

 stub is cut oil' close to the shoot, so it may heal over during that sea- 

 son. It is sometimes advisable to leave the water sprouts from a June 

 budded tree or limb until the following spring as this checks the growth 

 of the new shoot at the same time giving it a better chance to harden. 

 On the other hand, fall budded branches demand the removal of water 

 sprouts three or four times during the following season to prevent 

 smothering. 



In working new varieties on old trees the cleft graft is invariably used. 

 The process consists in the splitting of the limb longitudinally and the 

 insertion of 2 scions one on each end of the slit so that the growing 

 portions of scion and stock are in contact with each other. This is 

 done in early spring on limbs not exceeding 3 inches in diameter as 

 those larger than this are not likely to heal over. Both the cleft in 

 the stock and the tips of the cions are carefully waxed after the 

 operation. Both scions are allowed to grow for several weeks during 

 the following season, and then the weaker is selected and cut off, throw- 

 ing the total vitality into the one shoot. It is best not to try to remove 

 the entire top in a single year, as it is at least an exhaustive process, 

 and should therefore be spread over a period of a few years. Water 

 sprouts should be removed in June; it is also best to paint the larger 

 wounds with thick lead, to prevent the entrance of water, spores of 

 fungus diseases and bacteria. 



A good, well known grafting wax is compounded as follows: 



1 part tallow. 



2 parts beeswax. 

 4 parts resin. 



This is melted, poured into a pan of water and pulled like molasses 

 candy until light colored. It may be kept indefinitely by wrapping 

 in oiled paper and placing it in water. 



