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All root grafts should be carefully marked aud stored in 

 damp moss, in a cool, moist cellar, until the ground is ready- 

 to plant them in spring. The distal end of the scion when 

 cut should be covered with wax. The secret of success is to 

 make clean cuts with a sharp knife, and be sure that the cam- 

 bium layers coincide. 



To plant Boot Grafts. 

 Prepare the soil as for any crop, by spading or plowing and 

 harrowing thoroughly. Stretch a line where the first row is 

 desired. Put the spade down the full length of the blade 

 under the line ; move it back and forth, to increase the open- 

 ing. Remove the spade, and press the root graft into the 

 ground until the top is only one inch above the surface. 

 Press the soil firmly about it with the heel. Continue to 

 place root grafts under the line every 6 inches. The graft 

 should be inserted into the soil well below the union, to en- 

 courage roots in the scion and to prevent the stock from 

 sending up " suckers." In a small garden, root grafts may 

 be planted in rows 2 feet apart ; but if there is space enough 

 to cultivate with a horse, the rows should be 3 to 4 feet apart. 



Cleft Grafting. 



Cleft grafting is practiced on the tops of trees which are 

 more or less matured. Wild apple trees of good size are often 

 grafted, so that they will produce desirable fruit. It should 

 be practiced on branches not over 2 inches in diameter. It 

 is best to graft only one-third or one-half of a tree in a single 

 season, so as to have enough top to leaf out well. A saw, 

 a pruning hook, a knife and a hammer are necessary, as well 

 as scions and grafting wax. 



With a clean, sharp saw remove the end of the branch to be 

 grafted at a point where the stub will not be over 2 inches in 

 diameter. Much care should be taken to prevent the bark 

 from splitting down on one side when the branch is cut off. 



Place the grafting hook so that the chisel part is over the 

 center of the cut, and drive it down with the hammer, split- 

 ting the stub into two parts through the center. Remove the 

 tool, and drive the wedge part into the end of the split stub. 



