86 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



this rough cutting-back was also tried by the travelling 

 grafters. But the dry and hot interior air developed 

 ferment in the stock, blight, and other troubles that soon 

 put a stop to the rough practice. At the present time the 

 top is cut back less severely, or the grafting of one side 

 at a time is practised. Even at the east experienced 

 orchardists now graft more at the extremities, as shown 

 in Fig. 48. 



In grafting these larger limbs the scions are inserted by 

 what is known as cleft-grafting, as shown in Fig. 49. 

 With the tool shown at Fig. 50, the cleft is cut rather 

 than split if the tool is made thin, smooth, and sharp. 

 At the top of the tool is a wedge which is driven down in 

 the centre of the cleft while the scions are being inserted. 

 In making the wedge on the scions the cuts should be flat, 

 so the pressure when the wedge is taken out will not crush 

 the bark and cambium layer. In applying the wax (83) 

 it should be crowded into the cleft tightly before the wedge 

 is taken out. In interior climates it is best to cover the 

 wax with white cotton cloth to prevent its melting or 

 cracking. 



In top-grafting old seedlings or undesirable varieties of 

 the pear the same plan is adopted. But in mild, rela- 

 tively moist climates the plan adopted often with seedling 

 orange-trees in California is to cut back one-half the top 

 the first season and to permit vigorous sprouts to grow. 



The next spring the other half is cut back and the 

 sprouts of the preceding year on the other half are spring- 

 budded (76). The succeeding spring the other half of the 

 tree is budded in the same way. This is really a profitable 

 plan for all top-working of large trees. 



91. Top-grafting Cherry and Plum. Comparatively 

 little has been done as yet in top-working the stone fruits. 

 But Western experience with the cherry leads to the belief 



