120 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



Propagation of Apples 

 Directions for Budding and Grafting 



*The apple is propagated either by bud- 

 ding or grafting. Grafting is the more 

 common way, and is the method in most 

 general use. There are two principal 

 forms of grafting; first, the whip or 

 tongue graft, usually employed in uniting 

 a piece of an apple twig to a section of 

 an apple root; second, the cleft graft, 

 employed in top working either young 

 or old trees in the field. 



Scions 



A scion is a twig from a tree which is 

 to be used for grafting purposes. Scions 

 for root grafting may be taken from the 

 trees at any time after the leaves have 

 fallen, but it is much better to cut them 

 before the first hard freeze. Never cut 

 scion wood from trees while frozen. If 

 cold weather comes on suddenl.v before 

 the scions are taken, wait until they are 

 thawed out. First, decide what varieties 

 are wanted, then go to healthy trees of 

 the desired kinds that are known to pro- 

 duce good crops, and cut from them the 

 best twigs of last season's growth. Wood 

 that is two years old is not suitable for 

 grafting, although it will sometimes grow. 

 Where scion wood is taken from a young 

 tree it is often possible to get twigs as 

 much as two feet long, but they can be 

 used quite as well if the growth is not 

 more than six or eight inches, which may 

 be the case with old trees. Well-ma- 

 tured water sprouts are sometimes used. 

 If water sprouts are taken be sure they 

 arise far enough above the ground to be 

 certain that they have not come from the 

 roots of the tree, which would make them 

 seedlings. Never make the scions of soft, 

 spongj', immature wood, or from any 

 which has refused to shed its leaves. If 

 the scions are taken in fall or early win- 

 ter, they must be packed in green saw- 

 dust and stored in the cellar like the 

 stock (roots). 



Scions should not be permitted to 

 either freeze or dry out while in storage. 

 It should be remembered that when fruits 

 are grafted the variety is determined by 



• For methods of growinp seedlingr stocks see 

 article on Orotcinq ftrntlino-i. P. 113. 



the scion. As a rule, the root has little 

 or nothing to do with determining the 

 size, color, shape or taste of the fruit. 

 However, the vigor of the root does have 

 a great deal to do with the size and 

 longevity of the tree that results from 

 the scion that is grafted upon it. 



Where a long scion and a short piece 

 of root are used the former will very 

 likely take root itself above the stock. 

 By many this is considered to be highly 

 desirable, and in such instances it is said 

 that the trees are "upon their own roots." 

 Where a long root is used with a very 

 short scion, the point of union will be 

 so near the surface of the ground that 

 there will be great danger that sprouts 

 will arise from the roots which, of course, 

 would make seedling trees. 



Malting the Grafts 



The grafting is best done in a cellar 

 or basement room or may be performed 

 in a moderately warm room, if precau- 

 tions are taken to keep the wood from 

 drying out. Keep packed up until ready 

 to use, and repack as soon as the work 

 is over. With the exception of the few 

 pieces that are being handled, the re- 

 mainder should be kept covered with a 

 piece of moist cloth. Do not work about 

 an open fire or near a hot stove, as both 

 the roots and twigs may be dried out 

 and seriously Injured. Grafting may be 

 done in January and February, and even 

 as late as March. But February is con- 

 sidered to be the best month. 



Ordinarily the scions for best root 

 grafting are from six to seven inches 

 long, but they may be made shorter if 

 necessary. On the large end of the scion, 

 make a sloping cut an inch or an inch 

 and a half long, as shown in Figs. 2 and 

 .1. X^se a sharp knife and make the cut 

 smooth and uniform. On the surface of 

 the sloping cut. from one-fourth to one- 

 third of the way from the end, make a 

 slit or tongue by a downward cut. The 

 tongue should be an inch or more in 

 depth, partially following the grain of 

 the wood, and partially across the grain, 

 so that the twig does not split. Profes- 

 sional propagators form the sloping cuts, 

 make the tongues and then cut off the 



