THE CHESTNUT. 73 



cool, or pour into cold water and work up into cakes or 

 rolls and wrap in paper until wanted for use. Larger 

 quantities may be made if required, preserving the same 

 proportions of the materials used. If to be used imme- 

 diately in grafting chestnuts and similar trees, then pro- 

 cure some sheets of tough manilla paper of only moder- 

 ate thickness, and cut this up into sheets about six 

 inches wide and a foot long. While the fresh-made 

 wax is melted, take an old and rather stiff paint brush, 

 dip it into the hot wax and coat the papers thinly 

 with it, and then spread them out on shelves or else- 

 where to cool, and let them remain undisturbed until 

 wanted for use. Any thin kind of cloth may be used 

 instead of paper, but I prefer the latter because it will 

 yield to the pressure of the enlarging stock and cion 

 when growth begins, and it will not be necessary to ex- 

 amine the grafted stock so frequently during the sum- 

 mer to prevent girdling, as is usually the case when a 

 tougher material is employed for wrappers. Before these 

 waxed sheets are taken into the field for use, lay each 

 one separately on a piece of board with the waxed side 

 up, and with the point of a sharp knife cut them cross- 

 ways into narrow strips of from one-half to three-fourths 

 of an inch wide. But for convenience in handling, 

 insert the point of the knife a half-inch from one edge, 

 but cut the other clean through, so that the whole sheet 

 of strips can be lifted together. 



In early spring there is usually more or less windy 

 weather, and if waxed sheets of paper are taken out into 

 the field unprotected they are very likely to become tan- 

 gled up and useless. To prevent this, procure a number 

 of large but very shallow paper boxes, such as can usu- 

 ally be had at the stores and groceries of almost any vil- 

 lage, and in these place a single layer of the cut waxed 

 sheets, where they will be protected from wind and dust 

 until removed for immediate use. 



