192 



CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



have started and reached sufficient size, but such trees 

 can be crown-grafted at once, thus frequently saving a 

 year's time. Trees girdled or injured by mal-di-goma, or 

 in other ways, may frequently be saved by inarching small 

 trees planted close to the diseased one, or in some in- 

 stances, a number of sprouts around an old stump may 

 have all their energies directed to the support of a single 

 top. 



METHODS. 



The methods which will be found most useful are 

 those known as cleft, whip, crown, side-grafting and 

 inarching. Grafting may be done somewhat earlier in 

 spring than budding or it may be done any time during 

 the season when the sap is moving. Generally speaking, 

 however, the work should be done some time before the 

 end of June. The best time is before growth starts. 



Cleft-Grafting. It may in some 

 cases be desirable to work citrus 

 trees by this method and it will be 

 found useful in working large 

 trunks, branches or old sprouts. 

 The stock is cut off at right angles 

 and the cut surface made perfectly 

 smooth. Then it is split or cleft 

 open, using either a budding knife 

 (fig. 46) or a grafting iron (fig. 

 47) and the mallet. Frequently 

 the line of cleavage in orange wood 

 is very irregular, hence it is best 

 Fig. 49 cieft-grafting. A, to drive the knife or iron in on the 



cion. B, cions inserted 



ready for tieing. g j(j e o f the stock before splitting it. 



This will leave a smooth, straight surface for the cion. 

 After making the cleft, it may be held open with the wedge 



