50 PROPAGATION OF FRUITS. 



thus, without elevating the top much above the original one, 

 you graft only small limbs. A fine sharp saw should be 

 used, so as to make a smooth cut and do the work neatly. 

 Care should be used to hold the limb with one hand, while 

 sawing it off with the other, otherwise it may peel down 

 on the un.ier side. Some three or four inches of the 

 stump of each limb should be left to graft. It is a good plan to 

 graft only a part of the tree the first year, selecting the most 

 thrifty limbs, and taking two or three years to complete the 

 tree. 



CUTTING AND PREPARING THE SCIONS. 



The scions should be of the past year's growth, cut from 

 the outside limbs of a tree any time during the suspension of 

 growth, but February or March is considered the best time ; 

 tied up in bundle;^, carefully labelled, and laid away in the 

 cellar in slightly moistened sand. An expert will cut the 

 grafts at the time of grafting with success, but it is best 

 to cut them before. 



Two buds should be left on every graft and using a sharp 

 knife cut it to a wedge shape, leaving the side the lower bud 

 is on a little thicker than the opposite one, so that the bark 

 of the stock will be certain to press on the bark of the graft, 

 and the bark of each should exactly meet. 



SETTING THE GRAFT. 



With a grafting chisel, or an ordinary one, split the 

 stock down about two inches, drive in a small wedge of wood 

 or iron to keep the cleft open, until the scion or scions are in- 

 serted ; set the scions so that the lower bud will be just inside 

 the cleft, and the bark of the stock and scion join at the same 

 point, as at this junction the sap flows from the stock into the 

 graft, and withdraw the wedge. Where the stock is from one and 

 a half to two inches in diameter, it is well to insert two scions, 

 and in case both grow, the weakest should he smoothly cut off 

 three' or four months afterivard. The wax should be immedi- 

 ately spread on, so as to cover the end of the stock and its clefts, 



