Page 14 



BETTER FRUIT 



February 



tt 



Savefrate 



PAPER COWTAINERg 



ECONOMY ^Uk'^^tf/J*^ 



in the initial purchase — 



cheaper than wood 



in storage space — 



half space of shook 



in sealing — 



no hammer, nails, slivers 



in freight weight — 



two-thirds lighter than wood 



in breakage — 



every side a cushion 



SCHMIDT LITHOGRAPH CO. 



Main Office: SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 



BRANCHES: — Fresno, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Honolulu 



is set. The outside of the scion should 

 be cut a little thicker than the inside, 

 in order that the cambium layer of the 

 scion may be held firmly against the 

 cambium layer of the stock. When the 

 scion is set it should be slanted slightly 

 toward the outside in order that the 

 cambium layer may cross. If the limb 

 is an inch and a half or more in diam- 

 eter, two scions are usually set. If it 

 is smaller, one only can be set. As soon 

 as the scions have been set and the 

 wedge removed, the graft is waxed very 

 thoroughly along the sides and over the 

 top and the tips of the scion are also 

 touched with wax to prevent evapo- 

 ration. 



Bark Grafting: In bark grafting the 

 limb is cut at right angles with a saw 

 as in cleft grafting. But, while in cleft 

 grafting there are only two scions set, 

 in bark grafting there may be several, 

 usually about a couple of inches apart, 

 around the edge of the cut. The scion 

 for bark grafting is shaped by cutting 

 a shoulder on both sides of the scion 

 and leaving a thin wedge to be inserted 

 between the bark and the wood of the 

 stock. The bark of the stock is lifted 

 slightly or is cut vertically at the points 



where the scions are to be placed. 

 Then the scions are inserted. After all 

 have been set they are waxed thor- 

 oughly and the tops of the scions are 

 covered with wax. The scions are 

 allowed to grow until they have cov- 

 ered, or nearly covered, the top of the 

 wound and until they become rather 

 crowded. Then they are gradually re- 

 moved until two usually are left for 

 permanent limbs. 



At this point, it may be well to de- 

 scribe two of the most common grafting 

 waxes used. The first one is for 

 weather warm enough so that the wax 

 can be properly molded in the fingers. 

 The formula is as follows: Resin 4 

 pounds, beeswax 2 pounds, tallow 1 

 pound. Heat until thoroughly dis- 

 solved, but do not allow to boil; then 

 allow the wax to cool in water till it 

 can be pulled by the hand. It should 

 be pulled until it is smooth and of a 

 light color, much like taffy. This can 

 then be laid away for future use. 

 Grease the hands to prevent sticking. 

 A grafting wax well adapted to cold 

 weather is made as follows: Resin 4 

 pounds, beeswax 2 pounds, linseed oil 

 1 pint, and finely powdered charcoal 



Vi pound. After the first three in- 

 gredients have dissolved pour in the 

 charcoal and stir thoroughly. The 

 charcoal has a tendency to keep the 

 mixture from cracking. This wax 

 -should be kept warm in a grafting pot 

 and applied with a brush. 



Asphaltum (D or E grades) applied 

 warm, with a brush, is a very good 

 dressing also. 



For whip grafts old muslin torn in 

 half-inch strips and soaked in one of 

 these grafting waxes when it is hot, or 

 soft twine string soaked in wax are 

 often used in place of the grafting wax. 



BRIDGE GRAFTING 



The purpose of this practice is to re- 

 pair the trunks and limbs of trees when 

 a large amount of bark has been re- 

 moved in any way. Removal of the 

 bark (a) allows heart rot to enter the 

 tree and results in the decay of the 

 limb or trunk, (b) cuts off the down- 

 ward sap flow from the top to the 

 roots, starving the roots and frequently 

 causing the tree to bear too heavily. 



Injuries of this sort may be placed in 

 three groups: those caused by me- 

 chanical means, by diseases, and by 

 climatic and soil conditions. The in- 

 juries of the first class include those 

 made by cultivation tools, mice, rab- 

 bits, etc. Those of the second class are 

 made up of such diseases as fire blight, 

 cherry gummosis, apple-tree anthrac- 

 nose, etc. The third class embraces 

 such troubles as sunscald, sour sap, •or 

 winter injury. 



Method of Grafting: This grafting is 

 relatively simple, but requires great 

 care. The scions in this case are usu- 

 ally cut when dormant, from the wood 

 of last season's growth, and should be 

 about the size of a lead pencil or a 

 little larger. If dormant scions cannot 

 be secured at time of grafting, fresh-cut 

 twigs will answer if they are set imme- 

 diately. The best time for setting is 

 from the time when the sap is starting 



Figure 4. — Illustrating how a tree badly girdled 

 by winter injury was saved by bridge grafting. 



