CHANGING VARIETIES ON OLD TREES gl 



to use limbs above the main fork, or head of the tree, than to graft 

 in the trunk, if the old trees are of good size. The following de- 

 scription, which the writer borrows in part from some unknown 

 source, will serve to guide novices in the matter : 



The outfit necessary for doing the work consists of a small, fine saw, a 

 regular grafting knife, or a pocket-knife with a long, straight sharp blade, 

 wax, light mallet, and a hard-wood narrow wedge. After selecting the 

 limb to be grafted, saw it off your own judgment will guide you as to the 

 best point, but before the saw gets quite through the limb, cut the bark on 

 the under side of the limb to prevent the liability of peeling down. 



Next split the stub with knife and mallet and insert the wedge in the 

 center of the cleft to hold it open. It is usual to cut the scion with two 

 buds, but sometimes better results are had by using scions with but a single 

 bud. Whittle the scion wedge sharp, so that it fits nicely down into the cleft. 

 To do this, hold it in the left hand with the bud at the ball of the thumb, 

 then cut the side toward you; as will be natural, turn it over, and cut the 

 opposite side in the same way, making the wedge a very little thinner on the 

 edge opposite the bud than on the other. This will insure a firm pressure at 

 the points where the bark of scion and stock meet. 



When set, the bud of the scion will be on line with the outer long portion 

 of the graft, the point to be closely observed in adjustment is to have the 

 inner or sap bark of the scion connected with the same of the stock. If a 

 trifle too far in, or too far out, the work will be a failure. Some people set 

 the graft a little out at the top and a little in at the bottom, so as to be 

 sure of a connection at the crossing point, but there will be firmer hold 

 if there is a union the whole length. Our rule has been to have the wood 

 of the scion come exactly parallel with the surface of the stock, and we 

 seldom fail in getting firm adhesions and solid limbs after years of growth. 



After the scions are set, and two should be put into one limb if large, 

 carefully withdraw the wedge and apply the wax, so that every part of the 

 wood and bark cut and split is well coated. In doing this use extreme 

 care not to move the scions at all from their sittings. If the pinch of the 

 stock is seen to be severe, a small wedge may be left in the center to save 

 the scions from crushing. If there is a large cleft, it may be filled with 

 damp clay before waxing over. 



Most grafting over of old trees is done by this method, using one 

 or another of the wax preparations described upon a preceding 

 page. If the cut surface of the stock and the split is thoroughly 

 waxed over as low as the bark is split, there is usually little trouble 

 with the growth of the scion and the healing over of the stock. In 

 the warmer valleys in the interior, the sun is often hot enough to 

 melt the wax and cause it to run and bare the wood surfaces. This 

 is prevented by dusting the wax thoroughly with brick dust well 

 powdered ; but, by a little experimenting with the recipes already 

 given, one can secure a wax which will stand any heat likely to be 

 encountered. 



For grafting over trees by working upon the limbs, good work 

 can be done by bark grafting, which does not require the splitting 

 of the stock. There are various ways of doing this. One method is 

 shown in the engraving on a previous page, and consists of cutting 

 the scion as shown, and inserting it beneath the raised bark and then 

 binding well with waxed bands, the preparation of which has already 

 been described. 



Another method is an application of what the French call oblique 

 side grafting. It consists of making an oblique cut downward 



