38 Propagation. 



natural moisture precisely, and no more. If the packing is coo wet, 

 they will become water-soaked and rot. 



Grafts which have become dry, may be restored if the moisture is 

 applied so gradually that its absorption may require several weeks, 

 by burying them as above stated. 



SAVING MICE-GNAWED TREES. A MODIFICATION 

 OF GRAFTING. 



Young orchards which are kept perfectly clean by cultivation, are 

 seldom injured by mice under snow. There are some instances, 

 however, where mice will attack those which stand near the boun- 

 dary fences or in proximity to grass ; and sometimes a hard crust 

 of ice or snow may be formed on the surface, over which mice will 

 travel beneath a second fall of snow, in committing their depreda- 

 tions. Many young orchards are more or less encumbered with 

 grass and weeds, and the trees are often found girdled in spring. 

 A preventive that rarely fails, that of embanking small mounds 

 of smooth earth round the trees in autumn, is not often adopted, 

 and hence we have frequent inquiries, " What shall we do to save 

 our mice-gnawed trees ? " 



Fig. 43 represents the stem of a young tree entirely girdled near 

 the surface of the ground. The tree will, of course, perish unless a 

 connection is made between the two portions of bark. 



An easy way to repair this damage is represented in Fig. 44. It 

 consists merely in fitting into openings made with a half-inch chisel, 

 short pieces of round wood sharpened at both ends to fit the chisel- 



Fig. 43- 



Fig. 44. 



cuts. These cuts are made by placing the chisel, when making the 

 lower cuts, nearly upright or slightly inclining outwards from the 



