ROOT GRAFTING. 



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half an inch in length for various reasons; 

 nor should it on the root. When the grafts 

 are prepared, the roots are taken from the 

 water, and piled up with the upper ends all 

 towards you. The roots, one by one, as I 

 set them, are thus prepared with a tongue, 

 and the grafts inserted. They are then 

 spread out, so that the outside moisture may 

 dry off in order to have the grafting wax 

 adhere. This is made by melting and stir- 

 ring together four parts rosin, one and a 

 half beeswax, and one of tallow. I put it 

 on warm, or while in a fluid state, and with 

 a shaving brush, which is very neatly, 

 quickly and safely done. It is not by any 

 means necessary to have it perfectly tight 

 — a little put on the side where the bark 

 of the root and scion meet, and on the root 

 whore cut, is all that is requisite. Many, 

 if not most of those who graft in the root, 

 use waxed strips of cloth or paper, and 

 some tie with strings, using no wax, but 

 these in my experience are tedious and per- 

 fectly unnecessary operations. Last spring 

 I set over 20,000 in the way I speak of, and 

 with excellent success — indeed I have some- 

 times, when planting out from the boxes, 

 taken out 500 without finding a single graft 

 that liad failed. After being waxed, the 

 roots are ready for boxing. The box is first 

 partly filled with fine earth, some of which 

 is packed up against one end ; I then take 

 up some of the roots, and even the tops of 

 a handful in my hand, and set them up 

 slanting against the earth, beginning at the 

 right hand side of the box, with the tops 

 about two inches above it. In order to get 

 the tops even and keep the tiers separate 

 across the box, I use a thin, narrow strip 

 of board, which reaches over the box and is 

 placed behind every fresh tier whilst put- 

 ting it in — and also a little punch to jam 

 the earth down firm behind each tier and 

 next to the box. After placing the row, the 

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dirt should be worked amongst the roots 

 and packed snugly against them. Thera 

 need be no fear of disjointing them, unless 

 they are handled very roughly. When the 

 box is full, it is set away in a cool cellar, 

 where the mice cannot get at it. 



In regard to their freezing, v/hilst thus 

 boxed up, I have had no experience, but I 

 have it from a first rate nurseryman who 

 has tried the experiment several times, that 

 it does not injure them in the least, oven 

 if they freeze and thaw out two or three 

 times during the winter — that is, if they 

 are well boxed. I do not think I should 

 like to have them frozen after they had 

 started to grow much, nor should I care 

 about risking it any Avay if it could well be 

 avoided. When the boxes are exposed to 

 the heat and light, and supplied with water, 

 the shoots put out exceedingly rapid, and 

 hence they should not be thus exposed till 

 about two weeks before setting, otherwise 

 they will grow so long and weak that it 

 will shock them severely when planted out. 

 They should be set as early in the spring 

 as the ground will admit — though I have 

 known them set as late as the middle of 

 May, and with shoo'.s from six to eight 

 inches in length, but not with the best suc- 

 cess by any means. I prefer, however, for 

 several reasons, to have the shoots two or 

 three inches in length when planted out. 

 They should be set in good mellow soil, and 

 with the top of the scion an inch or two 

 above the ground. The sprouts from the 

 roots should all be taken off when they are 

 set, 



I have srrafted in the above manner for 

 several years, and I believe with as good 

 success as could be expected. I find, ac- 

 cording to my books, (in which I keep regu- 

 lar lists of the varieties grafted each year, 

 with the number set, and also the number 

 of each kind alive in the fall,) of one vari- 



