134 PRACTICAL PLANT PROPAGATION 



understocks. The required quantity of understocks in pots is 

 necessary before any grafting can take place, and since these seed- 

 lings are usually potted several months in advance so they may 

 become established, plans must be made and stock secured in 

 ample time. All Juniper varieties are commonly grafted on Red 

 Cedar seedlings. For the Thuya forms the common American 

 Arborvitae is used. The Norway Spruce is a congenial stock for 

 all the Spruces, while a Pine is grafted upon an understock which 

 carries the same number of needles per bundle. The young seed- 

 lings in pots should be placed in the grafting house several weeks 

 before the time for grafting is at hand, to allow for root action, 

 which is to supply the flow of sap necessary to stimulate healing. 



Making the grafts. When the understock shows a good, healthy 

 root growth the time for making the graft is at hand. The opera- 

 tion consists in carefully fitting the cut edges of the cion to the cut 

 edges of the bark of the understock and tying the cion securely in 

 place with strong, light twine. Waxing is not necessary. The 

 newly grafted plant is now laid carefully away in a partly inclined 

 position in the grafting bench. The inclined position is necessary 

 to permit the full light to fall upon the wound and hasten the heal- 

 ing process. The pots are imbedded in damp peat moss and the 

 sash placed over the top of the bench. The wound starts heal- 

 ing immediately and the cut edges of the bark on the cion and 

 understock gradually become firmly united. The sash is removed 

 and fresh air allowed to enter the grafting bench for a short time 

 every day. The fresh air aids in disposing of the excess moisture 

 which develops inside the bench. 



At the end of four weeks the cion is fairly well established upon 

 the understock. The grafts are all gone over and a portion of the 

 top foliage is removed from the understock to induce a greater flow 

 of sap to the cion. The grafts are then replaced in the grafting 

 benches, where they remain another four weeks. At the end of 

 that time cion and stock should have become perfectly united. 

 The balance of the top of the understock is now removed and the 

 young grafts are placed in an upright position, with the grafting 

 bench wide open. The season is now well advanced toward the 

 first of April and in another month the grafts can be removed from 

 he pots and planted in a shaded bed of well prepared soil out of 

 doors. 



OUTDOOR GRAFTING 



In regard to outdoor grafting, see Van Cleef's notes under 

 Junipers, page 199. 



