RENOVATING OLD ORCHARDS. 



69 



above, it is best to leave the actual operation until the 

 flow of sap is fairly brisk. Select the scion and cut into 

 the length, leaving two or three buds above the point of 

 insertion. Then cut the lower half with a sloping splice 

 cut, ending in a wedge-shaped point. A small notch 

 should then be cut in the upper part of the splice to rest 

 on the stock. If the stock has five or six branches of but 

 moderate size, one graft only should be inserted in each, 

 and should be placed upon the upper side. Make one 

 clean upward cut through the bark the length of the 

 splice on the scion, and 

 raise it on one side with 

 the spatula of the knife. 

 Then slip the scion under 

 the bark until the shoul- 

 der, as shown in Fig. 14, 

 rests upon the stock, or 

 end of the branch that 

 has been cut off. Then tie 

 firmly round, and cover 

 the union and the end of 

 the stock with clay or 

 grafting wax. The latter is best for standard trees. A 

 good preparation may be bought ready prepared, called 

 L'homme-Lefort grafting wax, which can be obtained of 

 most seedsmen or sundriesmen, or it may be made as fol- 

 lows : One part of suet, two parts of Burgundy pitch, 

 four parts beeswax, and three parts of turpentine. Melt 

 over a gentle fire, and mix together, adding more turpen- 

 tine if found needful. Apply with a thin lath, taking 

 care to completely exclude the air from the wounds. If 

 only two or three large branches are left on the stock 

 two grafts may be inserted in each. 



FIG. 14. CROWN GRAFTING. 



