DISCUSSION ON NEW METHOD OF GRAFTING. 407 



Mr. Underwood : Yes, the next season. 



Mr. Elliot: There would be no objection to cutting it off 

 earlier in the season? 



Mr. Underwood : No, that would do no harm provided there 

 is a good growth. 



Mr. Sievert: What is the best time to do top-working? 



Mr. Underwood : The best time is in the spring. We used 

 to begin in March and continue until there were small apples on 

 the trees. 



Mr. O. W. Moore : If you were to change a tree over would 

 you do it all at one time? 



Mr. Underwood : Yes, all at one time. 



Mr. Emil Sahler: I have hundreds of little sprouts from 

 my plum trees, would it be advisable to graft plum trees the same 

 as apple trees, the small trees? 



Mr. Underwood: The small trees I would whip-graft. 



Mr. Sahler: I don't know; I had a failure in whip-graft- 

 ing, I don't know whether to try it again. 



Mr. Underwood : Then you didn't do your work well. I 

 whip graft thousands, and I calculate to make ninety, yes nine- 

 ty-five per cent., grow. 



Mr. 'Yahnke : If a tree is top-worked, a tree that is natural- 

 ly given to blighting, if your work is done all at once would it 

 not be apt to blight some? 



Mr. Underwood : If a tree is apt to blight, 1 should think 

 it would. In top-working some Hibernal we had some very ser- 

 ious results in the matter of blight. I find I get splendid results 

 in a majority of cases. The Virginia is entirely different, and we 

 have had no experience like that. 



Mr. Yahnke : Could we not apply a repiedy in this way ? 

 The Hibernal is a strong grower, and if it pushes the scions ahead 

 too fast would it not be a good plan to root prune if you want to 

 top-work ? 



Mr. Underwood : I think that would kill the tree right out. 



Mr. Yahnke : Well, I know I had good results by doing that 

 way. 



Mr. Kellogg : Do you top-work the year you plant them ? 



Mr. Yahnke : The year after is better. 



Mr. Underwood: This Hibernal had been planted from two 

 to four years and was a handsome looking tree, and there was 

 nothing the matter with it, but when it was top-worked it blighted 

 badly. 



Mr. Busse : I grafted some three years ago and they blight- 

 ed badly. They were the Wealthy. 



