EXERCISE 10 



PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING AND BUDDING 



Statement. Common orchard plants produce seed abundantly and may be readily propagated 

 by that means. But the seeds of such plants do not generally " come true." Seeds of a red apple 



may produce a tree that will bear yel- 

 low fruit ; the seeds of an early-bearing 

 peach might produce a tree on which 

 late peaches are borne. To make sure 

 that fruit of the variety desired will be 

 produced by the trees that are planted, 

 orchard trees are propagated by grafting 

 and budding. 



Object. To learn how to successfully 

 propagate orchard plants by grafting 

 and budding. 



Materials. Growing seedlings, in 

 August, September, or the early spring ; 



A 



Fig. 12. Budding 



A, bark cut to receive bud, as shown at B; C, bud fastened in place; D, growing 

 bud; E, F, G, showing method of preparing the bud for insertion 



scions and roots of apple and peach trees or trees near by which may be used for 

 experiment; a sharp knife; raffia fiber; grafting wax. 



Directions, i. Budding. About two inches above the soil make a slit i£ inches 

 long in the bark of a seedling. Across the top of this slit make another cut through 

 the bark about an inch long, thus forming a T. Pull the bark loose along the 

 cut enough to make room for inserting the bud which is obtained from the tree of 

 the desired variety. Cut off this bud and a small portion of bark, starting about \ 

 inch below the bud and extending £ inch above the bud. The bark attached should 

 be a little wider than the bud itself, and should not include much, if any, wood. In- 

 sert the bud in the " T-slit," draw the side bark close about it, and secure with raffia 

 or twine, both below and above the bud. When the bud has developed well, cut off 

 the raffia, and when it has developed to a length of one foot, cut the original top 

 from the tree, just above the bud. 



2. Root grafting. A young stem of the desired variety, containing 3 or 4 buds 

 and from 6 inches to 9 inches long, is grafted to the root by the whip-grafting 

 method. The result is the same as a budded tree. 



3. Whip grafting. The tree and scion to be joined should be of the same 

 diameter. Each is cut at an angle, and a tongue is made in each piece by slightly 

 pushing a knife into the wood. The scion is then placed on the stock, cut surface 

 against cut surface, and the tongues lapped. The cambium layers on the stock and 

 scion must meet ; tying will help to hold them until a union has been made. 



4. Cleft grafting. In cleft grafting, a stem of large diameter — i-J- inches or 

 larger — is cut square off and a split made diametrically across. This is held open 

 while a small scion with the end cut wedge-shaped is inserted on each side, with the 

 cambium layer of stock and scion touching. The wedging tool is removed 

 and the graft waxed. If both scions grow, the weaker may be cut out the following year. 



Make grafts on seedlings found in neighboring orchards and plant the trees at the proper time. 

 Record the work done, and each successive year have the class in agriculture observe the preceding 

 grafts as a part of the year's work. Also, when the trees bear fruit, have the class note the fruit on 



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Fig. 13. Piece-root 

 grafting 



a, scion ; b, rootstock ; 



c, scion and rootstock 



joined and wrapped 



for protection 



