OTHER METHODS OF PROPAGATION 



331 



Grafting is a very old operation, and it has developed into 

 very many kinds. In this connection it would be unprofit- 

 able to describe many methods, for such detailed knowledge is 

 necessary only for those who are making a special study of 

 grafting. A few common methods will be described, and they 

 will serve to illustrate the principles involved. 



Cleft-grafting is a method very commonly used with fruit 

 trees (apple, pear, plum, cherry, etc.), when it is desired to 

 use well-established stock plants to support varieties with 

 more desirable fruit. The stock plant is cut off at a suitable 

 place, the stump end is split a short 

 distance and wedged, the wedge- 

 shaped base of the scion is in- 

 serted so that cambiums of scion 

 and stock are in contact, the 

 wedges are removed, and the whole 

 surface of the graft is covered with 

 grafting wax, which protects the 

 wound until it has healed and 

 stock and scion have grown to- 

 gether. To double the chances of 

 success it is very common to insert 

 two scions into a single cleft, for 

 the cambium is near the surface, FIG u cieft-grafting in the 

 and a scion on each side of the cleft %*"$ U T '^Tii 



Will be in proper position (Fig. 14). covered with grafting wax. 

 _. . After BAILEY. 



The scions usually include three 



nodes (buds), and are cut from twigs of the previous season. 

 These twigs are stored for a time in a cool place and pass 

 into a dormant condition. It is customary to insert the 

 scion so that one of the buds is at the surface of the graft, 

 and this bud, although covered by the grafting wax, has the 

 best chance to grow. 



The use of a twig as a scion is what is ordinarily meant by 

 grafting, and in addition to cleft-grafting, described above, 



