46 



ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



42. Top-grafting. This method is not very often used, 

 except to work over large trees. For this purpose, limbs 

 about one to two inches in diameter are sawed off. The 

 cions are cut about four inches long, and are sharpened 



FIG. 25. Cion for 

 a top-graft 



FIG. 26. Cions properly in- 

 serted for a top-graft 



FIG. 27. A top-graft 

 completed 



on both sides wedge-shaped. One is put in at each side 

 of the branch, care being taken to keep the cambium layers 

 in contact. To be sure of a good contact, the cions are set 

 at a slight angle, and may be cut thinner on the inside. 

 The ends of the branch and the split sides are all care- 

 fully covered with grafting wax. Sometimes many varie- 

 ties of apples are thus grown on one tree. 



