MODIFICATIONS OF THE WHIP-GRAFT. 



which grows readily from cuttings unites quickly with a 

 variety which does not grow from cuttings. Fig. 105 illus- 

 trates such a case. The stock, or cutting, is the true 

 Downing mulberry, which strikes root readily. The 

 cion is any of the varieties of Morus alba or M. 

 rubra, like the New American or Hicks, which roots 

 with difficulty from cuttings. In this instance, the 

 buds have been cut from the stock to prevent it 

 from suckering. 



Any sharp and strong thin-bladed knife may be 

 used for the making of whip-grafts. For small 

 and tender plants, a common budding-knife is suf- 

 ficient, but it is too light for most work. A favor- 

 ite style of knife for root-grafting is shown in 

 Fig. 106. It is much like a shoe-knife, with large, 

 cylindrical handle and a stationary blade. These 

 knives can be had by the dozen for about twenty- 

 five cents apiece. 



Modified Whip-grafts. There are many modifi- 

 cations of the whip-graft. One of them (Fig. 107), 

 used for the grape, is described by Lodeman in 

 "The Grafting of Grapes" (Bulletin 77, Cornell 

 Experiment Station) : "Fig. 107 represents a form 

 of grafting which is quite common in Italy. The 

 stock is cut off at an angle an inch or two below 

 the surface of the soil, and is then split downward, 

 beginning a little above the center of the cut sur- 

 face. This downward cut is made at a slight 

 angle to the grain, in order to prevent splitting. 

 In true tongue or whip-grafting the cion is pre- 

 pared in the same manner as the stock ; but in the 

 graft shown in the figure, a portion of the bark is 



grafted 



106. Grafting-knife with stationary blade 



