GRAFTING OLD TREES. 



125 



Fig. 1C3. 



most unsightly mode of trimming is often adopted when a 

 removal of the top by grafting is intended. 



Grafting new tops on old trees. It often happens that 

 fruit on large trees is worthless, and it becomes an import- 

 ant object to change the top by grafting or budding it with 

 some better variety. In this case, instead of cutting off 

 large branches and grafting them at once, it is better to 



prune the top in part, as shown 

 by fig. 103, which will cause an 

 emission of vigorous shoots. 

 These are then budded or grafted 

 with ease and success. And, as 

 the grafts gradually extend by 

 growth, the remainder of the top 

 may, by successive excisions, be 

 entirely removed. Where trees 

 are not too old, and the ground is 

 kept cultivated, good sized trees 

 are thus obtained much sooner 

 than by setting out young ones. 

 To give a well shaped head to such newly formed trees, 

 and to prevent the branches from shooting upwards in a 

 close body near the centre of the tree, the old horizontal 

 boughs should be allowed to extend to a distance in each 

 direction, while the upright ones should be lopped. This is 

 distinctly exhibited in fig 103. 



The following judicious mode of renewing the old tops 

 of trees formerly regarded as worthless, is given by George 

 Olmsted, of Hartford, Ct., in the Horticulturist : 



" These trees I commenced grafting six years ago last 

 spring. / began on the top, and grafted one-third of the tree 

 each year. It therefore required three years to complete the 

 entire heads of the trees. 



" I like this method better than any I have ever tried for 

 grafting large trees, as it gives the grafts a good opportuni- 

 ty to get well started. Cutting off and grafting the top first, 

 gives the grafts there the best possible chance, while the 

 necessary reduction of the top throws the sap into the re- 

 maining side branches, which fits them well for grafting 

 the following year ; and the third year, the lowest branches 

 behi made ready in the same way, may be grafted success- 



