514 A GRICUL TURE. 



of the two can occur. To secure this, careful and observant 

 experience is essential, and therein lies the skill of the grafter. 

 For tying the grafts, the best material is crochet cotton No. 20, 

 prepared by boiling the balls in melted wax, composed of one- 

 fourth lard and three-fourths rosin. With this the grafts are 

 wound to hold the scion in place until it has united with the 

 stock. Only a few turns around the joint are necessary ; many 

 grafters do not even tie the ends of the cotton, trusting to the 

 adhesive power of the wax to hold it in place. After winding, 

 the grafts should be tied in small bunches, 50 or 100 in each, la- 

 belled, and packed in boxes of sawdust in the cellar. Boot boxes 

 are a convenient size, and nothing but pine sawdust, slightly 

 moistened, should be used. If stored in this way, they can be 

 left until time to plant out in the spring. 



Planting the Grafts. Ground should be plowed and sub- 

 soiled as for growing seedlings, and should be harrowed and 

 rolled until thoroughly pulverized and compacted, forming a fine 

 but solid bed. In planting, use steel dibbles one foot in length. 

 Plunge the dibble into the soil, and press to one side to leave 

 room for the graft. Insert the graft alongside the dibble, leav- 

 ing only about an inch of the scion above the surface. Press 

 the soil firmly against the graft with the dibble, and it may be 

 expected to grow if conditions are favorable. 



For budding, the seedlings are planted out at the same time 

 with grafts, and are budded in the following August or Septem- 

 ber. The next spring the top of the seedling is cut off close 

 above the bud, and any seedling sprouts that may come out are 

 removed. With some varieties much nicer trees can be grown 

 by budding than by grafting. 



Growing the Tree. Whether budded or grafted, after the 

 desired varieties are secured they must be thoroughly cultivated, 

 trimmed, and headed, and at the end of three or four years they 

 are ready for the orchard. 



APPLE ORCHARD AND ITS MANAGEMENT. 



That location and soil have much to do with the success or 

 failure of an apple orchard, no observing person will deny. My 

 ideal location is a plat sloping toward the south. The soil, any 



