242 PLANT PROPAGATION 



use plenty to fill the top one-fourth inch or more of the 

 cleft, and to cover the edges all around. By this method 

 much better covering, to say nothing of time saving, can 

 be secured than by dabbing and patting the wax in place. 

 Many grafters also put little bits of wax on the upper 

 ends of cions if these have been cut off. 



Cleft grafting is the method most used in top working 

 large trees, a line of work practiced by many men who 

 charge a fixed rate, usually two or three cents a stub for 

 the number of successes toward the close of summer. 

 When the size, condition and shape of trees are favorable 

 and when extensive preliminary pruning is not necessary, 

 an expert grafter can make and wax an average of 

 perhaps 600 stubs in a 10-hour day. 



In top working an old tree, keen judgment is needed to 

 re-shape the top. It is popular opinion that never should 

 more than a third of the top be removed and grafted in 

 any one year ; a fourth or a fifth would be better. Always 

 the general outline of old trees should be followed and 

 branches smaller than two inches used when possible, 

 since the cions succeed and wounds heal best in such 

 cases. 



It is usually advisable to cut the principal stubs at rel- 

 atively equal distances from the axis of the tree and then 

 select minor side limbs. In handling trees with thick 

 tops, care must be exercised to leave sufficient shade to 

 protect the bark from sun scald. Better cut out all large 

 branches that must be removed before the grafting is 

 begun, because they are sure to develop excessively if 

 left after the removal of the limbs for grafting. Thus 

 bare pole-like limbs may be prevented. It is well to err 

 on the safe side by having too many than too few stubs, 

 because the excess may be cut out later. Young trees 

 say two or three years old from planting may be top 

 worked much more quickly, because a larger part, in fact 

 even the whole top, may be removed at one fell swoop 

 and grafted. 



