80 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



in bending the stock to one side and cutting in diagonally with a thin- 

 bladed, sharp knife, a little more than half way through the stock. 

 Into this open cut insert the scion so that the inner barks touch ; then 

 allowing the stock to straighten up, holds the scion firmly. Covering 

 with a wax band drawn tight makes a good job, and such grafts make 

 as good growth as the buds set the previous summer. This method 

 can be used with stems or branches up to an inch in diameter, and is 

 essentially the same, as will be mentioned later, as a side graft for 

 working over old trees. In this style of grafting, a stub of three inches 

 or more may be left above the graft, and to this the graft can be tied to 

 prevent blowing out if it makes a strong growth. Afterward the stub 

 is cut back with a sloping cut and waxed or painted to prevent checking. 

 Whip Grafting in the Stem. Grafting above the root or in the 

 stem of the stock when stock and scion are about the same size, is 

 done by tongue or whip grafting. The accompanying sketch shows a 

 whip graft in the stem of the stock. Grafts up to an inch in diameter 

 can be made in this way, but it is generally used for smaller wood. 

 Care must be taken to secure proper contacts of the inner barks at 

 least on one side of the stock. After pushing the parts together, a 

 wax band holds them firmly in place, or the joint may be simply tied 

 and painted over with wax. 



A Root Graft. When the root stock and the scion are about the 

 same size, the tongue graft is also used, as shown in the figure. In 

 making this both the stock and scion are given a sloping cut of about 

 the same length, and a secondary cut made in each. When the two 

 are put together the wood "tongues in," or interlocks as shown in the 

 engraving. The object of this is to make more points of contact for 

 the inner barks of root and scion, and at the same time to interlock 

 the two more firmly. In putting the two together, if the stock is 

 slightly larger than the scion, be sure to put the scion so that the inner 

 bark contact is made, and this will bring the scion a little to one side 

 of the center. Bind with the wax band, and paint with wax as in the 

 case of the former graft. 



In large nursery practice expert grafters have come of late years 

 to make this root graft without wax, merely tying in the graft. For 

 amateur work at home it is much safer to use the wax. 



Grafting in the root, where the root is much larger than the scion, 

 may be done without splitting the root by cutting or sawing out a 

 triangular piece on the side of the root, cutting the scion to fit and 

 trusting to a strong band to hold it in place. This graft is illustrated 

 in the chapter on propagating the grape. It also works well with root 

 grafting the walnut, and is used by some in ordinary top grafting on 

 other trees. 



Planting out Root Grafts. This root grafting can be done in 

 the winter before it is time to plant out, and the grafts can be made 

 a few at a time, as convenient. The grafts, then, as fast as prepared, 

 should be bedded in moist sand in the cellar, and will make their con- 

 tact firm, and even start to growing a little. In planting out in the 

 nursery rows be sure the earth is firmed well around the root, otherwise 

 many will be lost. Plant ten or twelve inches apart in the rows. Keep 



