1882.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



143 



of the slope on the scion will cross and touch 

 the cut bark on the stock, and will almost al- 

 ways thus form a union. 



If the scions are to be set in limb or stock too 

 small to stand firm under the hammer and 

 chisel, then with a thin, sharp knife-blade I make 

 a 8trai<;ht oblique cut down and towards the cen- 



SIDE CLEFT GRAFTING. 



1. Graft set in and tied with worsted. 



2. The same covered with wax. 



3. The same when one year old. 



tre of the limb or stock into the hard wood, deep 

 •enough to receive the wedge part of the scion, 

 and then set the scion in this cut precisely as in 

 the cut made with the chisel. 



Stocks and scions of nearly the same size can 

 be grafted in this way with great rapidity and 

 success. But of course, the smaller the stock, 

 the more nearly perpendicular will be the cut in 

 it to receive the scion, and when set the scion 

 will, in many cases, be nearly parallel with the 



stock. And when the scion and stock are of 

 nearly the same size, I fit one side at least of the 

 scion with one side of the stock. 



When the scion is set, if the stock is too small 

 to close upon and firmly hold it, I tie the stock 

 and scion as in other processes ; but in all large 

 limbs and stocks, if the operation is fairly well 

 done, the stock will hold the scion firmly with- 

 out any ligature. 



The scion being thus set, if not tied, I next 

 with a quarter or half-inch wide flat sash paint 

 brush, fill every part of the cut about the scion 

 with melted, but not hot, grafting wax, or 

 with cold, liquid grafting wax, and if the graft 

 has been tied, I cover all exposed cut parts, and 

 then bandage with the wax. 



In root-grafting young stock, I always tie with 

 woolen yarn and wax all the yarn in above man- 

 ner, except a line on the bark of the stock or 

 root, which I leave exposed to the ground and 

 weather to rot off" as growth proceeds. 



In all cases I leave the end of the stock an 

 inch or so longer than the end of the scion, so 

 that buds on the stock may draw the sap up to 

 and above the point of intended union, and this 

 greatly aids the success of the operation. 



When the scion starts to grow, I rub off" the 

 sprouting buds on the stock, and in time cut the 

 stock off"just above the graft, in all cases where 

 the scion is set at or intended to grow from the 

 end of the stock. 



But in re-topping large trees, and in grafting 

 limbs, I frequently put in a scion near the end 

 of the limb by this process, as in the end by 

 other methods, and then set other scions along 

 the limb in its sides whenever new branches are 

 desired, even in a limb or trunk six inches or 

 more in diameter. 



With care and good judgment, a tree can thus 

 be made symmetrical, and long, bare limbs can 

 be covered with a new growth of branches. 

 But of course, the scions that are nearest the 

 end of the limb, will push the most vigorously, 

 and the strength of the growth of all will depend 

 largely upon the extent to which the tree is 

 headed in or cut back. 



To sum up some of the advantages of this 

 method as they impress me, I submit : 



1st. That scions can be set far more rapidly 

 than by any other process. 



2nd. That the operation is more uniformly 

 successful. 



3rd. That in most cases all tying and untying 

 as growth proceeds, and re-tying to prevent 



