RODENT PROTECTION FOR FRUIT TREES 137 



wound. Scions should be cut a little longer than the span to be 

 bridged so that they will be slightly curved. The scions should be 

 inserted firmly in slanting incisions made by a chisel, being careful 

 that the cambium layer, or inner bark, of the scions unites with the 

 cambium of the tree. After the scions are inserted, grafting wax 

 should be placed carefully around the incisions and tRe wound 

 should also be waxed. 



The number of scions required depends upon the size of the 

 tree. One scion every 2 or 3 inches around the tree will be suffi- 

 cient. Bridge grafting may also be used to good advantage on 

 trees only partially girdled. 



Wounds of any size will heal much faster if covered with 

 grafting wax, lead paint, or even clay as soon as the injury is 

 discovered. 



Another plan of taking care of trees that are girdled some 

 distance from the ground is to cut them off beneath the wound and 

 depend upon a sprout coming from beneath the wound to make a 

 new top for the tree. Care must be used in this practice that the 

 sprout comes from above the original graft. 



Where cinders and wire netting are not at once available more 

 temporary precautions may be utilized. Mice rarely come out in 

 the open to work, hence the grass, weeds and all trash should be 

 cleared away from the trunk of the tree for a foot or more in all 

 directions. The ground should be firmed with a tamper to fill run- 

 ways or burrows and a few shovelfuls of fresh soil slightly mounded 

 around the base of the tree. Wood veneer, stripped corn stalks cut 

 in 2 feet lengths, building paper, common heavy wrapping or even 

 newspaper bound firmly about the stem of the young trees will give 

 protection from the rabbits for one season or until more permanent 

 material may be used. 



Grafting wax formula. The following is a standard recipe for 

 grafting wax: 



Melt together four parts (by weight) of resin, two parts of 

 beeswax and one part of tallow. Pour the mixture into a pail or 

 tub of cold water. As the mass begins to cool so that it can be 

 handled, grease the hands with tallow and pull and work the lump 

 of wax until it becomes quite light in color. It may then be formed 

 into small balls or sticks for convenient use. This wax will keep in 

 good condition indefinitely. 



