GRAFTING AND BUDDING 321 



pound of beeswax in the mixture, thus giving 

 slightly thinner consistency. 



The ingredients are slowly heated together 

 until the resin and wax are melted and all 

 thoroughly combined. This composition when 

 partly cooled is poured into pressed tin pans, to 

 make cakes of convenient size for handling. The 

 mixture sticks to the tin with great persistence; 

 but by turning the pan upside down and pouring 

 boiling water over it for a few seconds the wax 

 can be shaken from the pan. 



These cakes are broken into pieces of con- 

 venient size, and in use the wax is kept warm 

 in any convenient dish or pan having a short 

 strong handle. The wax may be heated over a 

 small coal oil stove, and when applied to the 

 grafts should be much warmer than can be borne 

 by the hand, but not hot enough to scald the 

 plant tissues. If heated in a double heater, the 

 outside one containing water, the danger of over- 

 heating is lessened. 



If applied with care with a small paint brush, 

 first around the thick bark of the stock, and later, 

 as the wax on the brush cools, on and about the 

 cuts and open joints, no harm will result. The 

 plan of brushing the hot wax about the graft, 

 instead of applying it by the fingers in the 

 tedious old-fashioned way, saves nine-tenths of 



Vol. 2 Bur. K 



