INCREASING FRUIT TREES 27 



requires great care, or the bud itself may be removed also. 

 The point of the knife should be used to lift up the end, and 

 then the thin slice of wood carefully pulled away by means 

 of the knife and the thumb. If the eye or vital part of the 

 bud comes away with the slice of wood, leaving a small hole 

 at the back of the shield, the bud is of course rendered useless, 

 and another must be obtained. 



The incision in the stock should be just through the bark, 

 and of about the same length as the shield of the bud. The 

 cut must be in the shape of a T, and the bark on each side be 

 carefully raised by running the haft end of the knife down 

 between the wood and the bark. If the stock is in good condi- 

 tion the bark will part readily from the wood. The shield and 

 bud must now be carefully inserted and thrust well into the 

 incision, the bark being gently pressed round the bud ; care 

 must also be taken not to tear or break the edges. 



The buds should be well bound in position with soft string or 

 worsted, and room left for the bud itself to develop properly. 

 Growth from the bud will not be made until the following spring, 

 and growth produced by the stock should not be shortened 

 until this period. If the weather is hot and dry the trees must 

 be frequently sprayed, and provided with plenty of water. 



Grafting Fruit Trees. The stocks are ready for grafting 

 in most districts from the middle of March until early April. 

 It can be readily determined, however, when they are in the 

 correct condition by the fact of the sap rising, and the buds 

 commencing to swell. The stocks should always be in a more 

 active state of growth than the scions, and the latter have been 

 kept in a dormant condition by being placed in the soil under 

 a north wall. Trees that were cut back previously should be 

 again shortened a little so as to get down to sound, fresh wood ; 

 the cuts should be made rather obliquely so as to allow the 

 moisture to run off. It is important to see that the stock and 

 scion meet closely on at least one side near the bark, for if the 

 union is not perfect there is small chance of the scion growing. 

 The grafting tools must be sharp so as to make clean cuts, and 

 for the purpose a good chisel is useful. 



Crown Grafting. In the case of fair-sized and large trees 

 that are headed back, crown or rind grafting is the most desir- 

 able. Make the scion about 8 inches long, and cut the lower 

 end to a point with a " shoulder " to it, something like a pointed 



