HORTICULTURE 157 



nated could not be obtained without the aid of budding or grafting. 

 Under existing conditions it is not necessary for the originator of a 

 new sort of apple to give any thought to the question of fixing that 

 type so it may be reproduced from seed; the method of reproducing 

 the sort does not enter as a factor into his efforts to secure the desired 

 variation. Grafting or budding has settled that long ago; but were 

 it otherwise, horticulturists would be studying different problems, and 

 the nursery-man would be more of a scientist than a manufacturer. 



The Scion and Its Treatment. A scion is a portion cut from a 

 plant to be inserted upon another (or the same) plant, with the inten- 

 tion that it shall grow. Except for herbaceous grafting the wood for 

 gcions should be taken while in a dormant or resting condition. The 

 time usually considered best is after the leaves have fallen, but before 

 severe freezing begins. The scions are tied in bunches and buried in 

 moist sand, where they will not freeze and yet will be kept cold 

 enough to prevent growth. Good results often follow cutting scions 

 in the spring just before or at the time the grafting is to be done. 

 If cleft grafting is the style to be employed this practice frequently 

 gives good results, but spring cutting of scions for whip grafting is 

 not desirable, as not enough time is given for proper healing of the 

 wound before planting time in the spring. 



The Stock and Its Treatment. The stock is the plant or part of 

 fe plant upon which or into which the bud or scion is inserted. For 

 best results in grafting it is essential that the stock be in an active 

 condition, or so that active growth can be quickly brought about. 



Cleft Grafting. This style of graft is particularly adapted to 

 xrge trees when for any reason it becomes necessary to change the 

 Variety. Branches too large to be worked by other methods can be 

 tfleft grafted. 



A branch 1 or l 1 /^ inches in diameter is severed with a saw. 

 r?are should be taken that the bark be not loosened from any portion 

 of the stub. Split the exposed end with a broad thin chisel or graft- 

 ing tool. Then with a wedge or the wedge-shaped prong at the end 

 of the grafting tool spread the cleft so that the scions may be inserted. 



The scion should consist of a portion of the previous season's 

 growth and should be long enough to have two or three buds. The 

 lower end of the scion which is to be inserted into the cleft should be 

 cut into the shape of a wedge, having the outer edge thicker than 

 the other. In general, it is a good plan to cut the scion so that the 

 lowest bud will come just at the top of this wedge so that it will be 

 near the top of the stock. The importance of having an intimate 

 connection between the growing tissues of both scion and stock can 

 not be too strongly emphasized, for upon this alone the success of 

 grafting depends. To make this contact of the growing portions 

 doubly certain, the scion is often set at a slight angle with the stock 

 into which it is inserted in order to cause the growing portions of the 

 two to cross. After the scions have been set the operation of cleft 

 grafting is completed by covering all cut surfaces with a layer of 

 grafting wax. 



Whip Grafting. This style of grafting is the one almost uni- 



