GRAFTING 



GRAFTING 



1367 



the bud, the sap from the stock will enter it easily, and 

 force it into immediate growth, whether put on in early 

 spring or as late as September. At E the bud is shown 

 in place, and the flaps pared. To put on the wrapper, 

 use an oblong little square of 

 waxed cloth with an eyelet in the 

 middle for the bud to emerge from 

 (F). In preparing the cloth for 

 these wrappers, use only beeswax, 

 not grafting-wax for this pur- 

 pose. Be sure to tie on the wrap- 

 pers firmly, and see also that they 

 cover the entire top of the stock, 

 leaving no part of the wounds 

 made by the knife uncovered. 

 A modified shield-bud is used 

 by Edwards. In Fig. 1686, the 

 part marked A shows the outside 

 and inside of the bud as com- 

 monly made for the pecan; B 

 shows the thick rim of bark at 

 the lower end. The modification 

 consists in trimming away the 

 lower end, as at C ; also in paring 

 away part of the flap, as at G. 

 At E is the regular slit ; F, the bark opened to receive bud ; 

 D, waxed wrapper; H, wrapper tied on. See Pecan. 



Proper time to bud. (Hedrick.) 



Inasmuch as the various kinds of trees used as stocks 

 for budding vary greatly in length of their growing 

 season, it naturally follows that the time during which 

 they may be budded will vary accordingly. In a nor- 

 mal season, the figures for New York are about as 

 follows: 



Rose . July 1 to July 10. 



Pear July 10 to July 15. 



Apple July 15 to August 1. 



Plum (St. Julien stock) July 15 to August 1. 



Plum (Myrobalan stock) August 15 to September 1. 



Cherry (Mazzard stock) July 20 to August 1. 



Cherry (Mahaleb stock) August 20 to September 1. 



Quince July 25 to August 15. 



Peach August 20 to September 10. 



Grafting. 



Grafting proper is the operation of inserting a twig 

 or a woody cion into a stock. They may be classified in 

 respect to the place or position of the cion on the stock: 



jy 



1686. Modified 

 shield-bud. 



1687. Cleft- 

 grafting. 



1688. The cleft- 

 graft waxed. 



1689. Cleft- 

 graft cion. 



Root-grafting, or the insertion of the cion in the root 

 of the stock; 



Crown-grafting, or the insertion of the cion at the 

 crown (surface of the ground) ; 



Stem-grafting, or the insertion of the cion in any part 

 of the main stem or trunk; 



Top-grafting, or the insertion of the cion in the top or 

 branches of the plant. 



Grafting may again be classified in respect to the 

 maturity of the cion: dormant wood grafting; and soft- 

 wood or herbaceous grafting, in which the cion is taken 

 from green or growing wood. 



It is customary to classify grafting on the way in 

 which the union is made. There are few general types 

 in common use in this country: as cleft-grafting, whip- 

 grafting, veneer-grafting (side-grafting, bark-grafting). 



Cleft-grafting. 



Cleft-grafting consists in splitting the stock and 

 inserting a wedge-shaped cion into the cleft. It is 



1690. One way of cleft-grafting an old tree. 



employed only in rather large stocks, preferably in 

 those an inch or more in diameter. The stock is cut off, 

 and it is split with a knife or tool made for the purpose. 

 The cleft is then held open by a wedge and the cions are 

 inserted in the side of the cleft in such position that the 

 cambiums of the stock and cion are in contact (Fig. 

 1687). The whole surface is then securely waxed, to 

 prevent evaporation and to protect the wounds from 

 the sun (Fig. 1688). Cleft-grafting is performed in 

 early spring. The cions are taken some time previously 

 from the last year's shoots. They are stored in a cellar 

 or other cool place in order that they may be perfectly 

 dormant. It is customary to cut them of three buds' 

 length; but if the shoot is very long-jointed and if the 

 variety is new or rare and the wood therefore scarce, 

 they may be made of one or two buds. The wedge- 

 shaped part should be somewhat thicker on the outside 

 so that it may be clasped tightly in the cleft (Fig. 1689). 

 It is customary to have one bud near the top of the 

 wedge. Although this bud is covered with wax, it is the 

 most likely to grow, since it is nearest the source of 

 food-supply and is less injured by external conditions. 

 It pushes through the wax. It is customary to insert 

 two cions in all stocks, even though only one branch is 

 desired. By inserting two cions, the chances of suc- 

 cess are doubled, and the wounds heal better if a twig 

 grows on either side. After a year or two, one of the 

 cions may be cut off if desired. 



Cleft-grafting is the method usually employed in the 

 top-grafting of fruit trees, as apples, pears, plums and 

 cherries. Old peach trees are rarely changed over to a 



