Pruning Peach Trees 217 



buds above the bevel of the lower end. The clon thus pre- 

 pared, the lower end is mserted in the T-shaped incision and 

 forced or driven down under the bark firmly. One or two 

 very small nails may be driven through the lower end of the 

 cion to bring the cut surface of the bevel into close contact 

 with the cambium of the stock, though if it is firmly bound 

 in position by wrapping strips of waxed muslin about it, the 

 nailing will probably not be necessary. Sometimes the 

 wound is covered thoroughly with grafting wax to exclude 

 the air before the wrapping is done. Top-working by this 

 method should be done in the spring as when the cleft-graft 

 method is used. 



After the grafts have started well into growth, the tops of 

 the limbs above the points where grafts are inserted should 

 be removed. In case of especially vigorous trees, the tops 

 can probably be removed with successful results when the 

 grafting is done. 



This method of top-working peach trees has never been 

 widely used; but it is said to possess considerable merit under 

 some conditions. 



