THE GENESEE FARMER. 



63 



the sap-suckers, and tell how they kill the apple 

 trees; but I agree Avith Mr. Baeb, by saying that I 

 deem it almost an absurdity to suppose that they 

 commit these depredations. lorenzo doud. 



OMli, Miami Co., Indiana, December, 1S59. 



We would suggest, as worthy of trial, white- 

 washing the trunks of the trees, for the purpose of 

 reflecting the rays of the sun. eds. 



GRAFTING GRAPE VINES. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer:— In view of the daily 

 increasing interest felt in the culture of the grape 

 vine, I beg leave to offer a few observations on 

 grafting Isabellas.^ Catawbas or Clintons., with new 

 and more valuable kinds. 



m:^ 



I Miiii'i 



lit '^^-^ 



Fijr. 1. 



typj"^ 



Fig. 2. Fig. 3. 



^„^ BUD IN PLACE PREVIOUS 



STOCK. BUD. 



TO BEING WOUND. 



Some cultivators have recommended inarching or 

 grafting by approach, which has tlie advantage of 

 being simple — consisting merely of shaving a little 

 bark and vv'ood from the stock to be grafted, and 

 bringing a branch of anotlier kind, after taking a 

 little bark and wood from it, and fitting the two 

 together. Tongueing is an improvement on this 

 6y^tem. But I think most practical men will admit 

 that it is imperfect at best; besides, very few peo- 

 ple have the kind desired growing near the one to 

 be grafted. 



Again, some recommend cutting the vines down 

 and cleft graftino; them, which is done by splitting 

 the stocks with a cliisel, and inserting the scion in 

 the form of a wedge. This answers well in some 

 cases ; but if the grafts should fail, you lose your 

 crop of fruit entirely for that season. 



"What I propose to show is, that a person of lim- 

 ited skill can, if he possesses a large vine, graft half 

 a dozen or more varieties on the same plant, or 

 renew it entirely, as the case may be, without ma- 

 terially injuring the crop of fruit the same season. 

 In the first place, select good sound wood of the 



previous year's growth, of the kind desired, before 

 the sap is in motion; lay them by in a cool, damp 

 place, till you perceive the buds beginning to swell 

 on the vine to be grafted. Then take one lb. of 

 rosin, one-fourth lb. of tallow and one-fourth lb of 

 beeswax, and melt in an earthen or tin vessel ; next 

 take strips of strong factory, nearly an inch wide, 

 for tying. This done, take your knife , which should 

 be very sharp for the operation, and make a cut 

 downwards about half an inch below the bud in- 

 tended to be used, and half way through ; next 

 enter the blade of the knife half an inch above the 

 bud, and bring it down back of the bud till it forms 

 a junction with the first cut. [See engravings^ 

 Fig. 2.] 



Then select a smooth place on the vine that you 

 intend to operate upon, and adopt precisely the 

 same plan on the stock as you have previously done 

 on ths scion, by removing a piece of bark and Avood 

 corresponding in size to the bud you intend to^ in- 

 sert. Be careful not to cut out too large a piece 

 at first, as you can easily enlarge the cut if fottnd 

 necessary. If the cut should be a little too Avide 

 for the bud, as is often the case, be careful to fit 

 one side evenly, as the junction of the hber_ or 

 inner bark of stock and scion is of the highest im- 

 portance. Next take two strands of copper wire, 

 of sufiicient length to go around and fasten ; place 

 one around the lower extremity of the bud Avhere 

 the lip of the stock covers it, and secure it on the 

 side opposite the bud ; this done, secure the upper 

 part of the bud in the same way. Then take a 

 strip of the prepared fact<)ry, and dip into the 

 composition, Avhich should be about blood-heat, 

 and Avind the bud, taking care not to cover it, yet 

 at the same time to render it perfectly air and Ava 

 ter tight. To complete the job, dip the finger or a 

 piece of rag in the composition, and fill up any 

 spaces that may be left on the stem of the vine, 

 either above or below the wrapping. It Avill be 

 necessary to put another strand of Avire around 

 the vine, above the bud, to arrest the upAvard 

 flow of the sap ; or Avhat is perliaps better, bend 

 the vine over till the bud has started a fcAV inches ; 

 Avhen it has tAvo or more leaves, it has become in 

 a measure self-supporting, and the wrapping and 

 wire can then be taken oft", and the vine tied up in 

 its place. 



If the graft or grafts are thought of more conse- 

 quence than the crop of fruit, the head or top of 

 the vine can be reduced at intervals through the 

 summer, as the grafts gain strength, Avhich will 

 help them very materially. 



Of the success of this plan of grafting, I can 

 speak in the fullest confidence. Scarcely one in 

 fifty will fail if the above directions are faithfully 

 carried out. If any grafts should fail, inserted in 

 this way, it Avill be no detriment at all to the vine, 

 which is one great advantage this plan lias over 

 cleft grafting. It is a surer way of grafting, be- 

 cause the tendency of the sap being to the upper 

 branches, by this mode it can be checked and forced 

 into this' particular bud. This plan is very useful 

 in vineries where the stems have become naked of 

 fruiting spurs. By careful and good management, 

 canes can be obtained in one season from twelve to 

 twenty feet in length, and of proportionate strength. 



FBANCIS A. BALLEE. 



