248 AlfNUAL REPORT 



be economically packed and shipped. For the present the services 

 ,of a reliable commission man can not be dispensed with. 



As the trade assumes greater proportion, suitable drying and can- 

 ning establishments will be provided, and the difficulties from the 

 perishable nature of the commodity be overcome. Plums deserve 

 more careful treatment even than apples, and should be packed in 

 quart boxes and crates, being careful to pick before perfectly ripe. 

 Their quality is so rich, and their beauty so great, that they have 

 already taken a high place in the markets. 



With our limited acquaintance with the tree, we feel perfectly 

 safe in advising you to border your orchard on the south and west 

 exposures, with the Russian mulberry set as a hedge, four feet 

 apart. Considered only as a forest tree and as a shelter belt to the 

 orchard, it is as fully entitled to the position of guardian to valu- 

 able property, as any tree in the land. With the constant inquiry 

 for new pursuits and means of labor, the culture of silk worms and 

 silk in the Northwest can but prove profitable and fascinating, 

 and those of us of eastern or southern parentage remember well 

 the delicious character of the fruit of the mulberry. The culture 

 of this tree is beyond that of an experiment, and is in our own 

 state an assured success. 



Top grafting is performed as follows, and in three different ways, 

 termed cleft, saddle and whip grafting. Its object being to change 

 the quality and kind of fruit that was borne by the parent stock. 

 No wood is used in this work of more than one season's growth. 

 The scions should be cut in November, prior to hard freezing 

 weather. The most favorable season for grafting is after buds 

 begin to swell and before they open. Cleft and whip grafting 

 are commonly used for top or outdoor work. Cleft grafting is 

 the usual method when the stock is larger than the scion, and 

 is done as follows : Saw off limb to be grafted, split open with 

 the chisel through the ctnter, open up the split with a narrow 

 wedge, cut scions three buds in length, and sloping on each side, 

 so as to conform to the shape of the opening in the limb when 

 forced open by the wedge ; place two scions, so the bark on both 

 scion and limb will be in juxtaposition, and then remove the wedge, 

 the natural spring of the wood will hold the scions firmly; then 

 cover all exposed portions of scions and stock with a wax formed of 

 one part beeswax, one part tallow, and five parts rozin, this to be 

 kept in working order by being immersed in hot water. If the 

 stock to be worked is larger than two inches, four scions can be 

 used, although a better plan is to topwork trees of this size in the 



