1)68 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN XEW YORK STATE 



only two ways to save the trees : to train up a new shoot from helow 

 the injury and above the bud, or to bridge graft. AVhere the 

 entire trunk is girdled and the injury is more than twelve inches 

 in length, it is doubtful if bridge grafting would be worth while, 

 but where the injury is twelve inches or less it can be done suc- 

 cessfully and is well worth while on trees that have been set from 

 two to twenty years. The edges of the wound should be trimmed 

 and the scions cut slightly longer than the injured area. Spring- 

 ing them slightly like a bow, insert the ends under the uninjured 

 bark at the upper and lower edges of the wound. All exposed 

 surfaces should be carefully waxed, and, if the injury is near the 

 ground, the earth should be mounded well above it, so as to keep 

 the injured portion moist and make conditions favorable for 

 callousing or the uniting of the scions with the bark. From 

 three to twelve or fifteen of these scions should be used. The 

 number varying with the size of the tree. Good, thrifty, last 

 season's growths are most easily handled and are most satisfac- 

 tory. See Figure for illustration of bridge grafting. 



