40 FLORIDA FRUITS ORANGES. 



and ' ' a little trouble in the present saves much trouble in 

 the future;" and these sensible individuals, before pro- 

 ceeding to bud their trees, prepare a quantity of strips of 

 strong muslin or calico, about a quarter of an inch wide, 

 dip them into melted grafting wax, take them out with 

 little sticks and hang them up to dry. They will keep 

 good for years if need be. They are then ready to wrap 

 tightly around the scion after its insertion in the stock, the 

 end and edges are rubbed down firmly with the finger, and 

 kept in position by tying a piece of string around it. By 

 this simple method the scion and stock are held securely 

 in close contact, and air and water are excluded while the 

 process of junction is going on, a necessity, as we have 

 already seen, to its success. 



To illustrate the difference between smearing with wax 

 and binding with waxed strips, we quote from a writer in 

 a New York rural publication. He bound a part of his 

 scions with strips and on others used only wax : 



"Those wrapped with strips all grew; of the others, 

 about one half grew ; also many of the former grew eight 

 feet in one season, the waxed ones, without the strips, not 

 making over half that growth. I claim that there are 

 absolutely many chances in favor of the strips over the 

 other way." 



Even in the old method of regular grafting, where the 

 whole top of the tree is cut off, these waxed strips are just 

 as much to be preferred over the wax daubs as in budding. 

 Try it and see, and our word for it you will never again 

 set about this kind of work without plenty of waxed strips 

 at your side. 



There is a regular recipe for making the grafting wax 

 most commonly used ; it is this : ' ' One part beeswax, one 

 part tallow, two parts rosin ; melt together till thoroughly 

 incorporated." 



