DISCUSSION ON NEW METHOD OF GRAFTING. 405 



wax warm, which is a very nice way and in every way satisfactory. 

 Aly first work in grafting was in top- working trees under the di- 

 rection of Dr. Jewell, and I feel as though I was a past master in 

 top-working. I do not quite agree with some of the statements 

 Mr. Elliot makes. For the last work we did I think we collected 

 some three or four thousand dollars. We did the collecting after 

 the work was done, and I must have had some success in making 

 those grafts live. Of course, I never have tried this new method, 

 but I can see some things that I think are open to criticism. It 

 w^as my part when working on the grafting team to set the grafts. 

 I do not know how many of you are familiar with the methods of 

 a grafting crew, but some gf you probably are. We worked sci- 

 entifically and did our work well ; it was satisfactory to our cus- 

 tomers, and they were always pleased with just one exception — 

 we did more thorough work than they expected us to do, and it 

 consequently cost them more than they had anticipated paying, 

 but it was along practical lines and gave satisfaction when we 

 were through. 



That is something I could not stand for, the ease with which, the 

 scion becomes tight. You could tie it, but it is not practicable. 



The Chairman : If they are put in right, they will be in as 

 tight as it is possible to get them. I never saw anything tighter. 

 It ought to be driven in tight in the first place. Those that Mr. 

 Coburn put in were driven in so tight he could not get them out. 



Mr. Underwood '. Supposing that is true, if that graft is put 

 in right so it is solid, it must be a less rapid process and a more 

 difficult process 'to. handle the grafts, so it is not as easy to do as 

 the other method, and I do not see any objections to the other 

 plan. After following it for fourteen years as a business, as well 

 as having done it frequently during the last thirty to forty years, 

 I do not see any objection to the old method. As far as making 

 this cut is concerned, I always use a circular knife so it makes a 

 smooth cut. So far as the scions are concerned they are similar 

 to the others, only they are regular wedge shape and a little larg- 

 er on the outside than on the inside. We never had the difficulty 

 that Mr. Elliot speaks of, of decaying wood in the top. You 

 can't criticise the old method so far as I am concerned, because I 

 know it is all right and will stand the test. 



Mr. Pond : !How do you make your cut, straight with the 

 bark where you split? 



Mr. Underwood: It takes the natural course of the wood. 

 I have set hundreds and thousands of them. 



Mr. Brackett: Have you ever had any experience in pinch- 

 ing out the top of the graft? 



Mr. Underwood : I have never had any experience of that 

 kind. I don't know what would be gained. I always put in two 

 grafts on a limb of that size for this reason, it sets up a growth 

 and starts to healing over and will heal over more quickly than 

 one graft. 



