12 FRUIT TREES. 



the stem of the subject will be covered with young 

 shoots. These must be taken off, but not until the 

 graft has begun to grow, for until that period it has 

 need of them to draw the sap towards itself. As soon 

 as the graft begins to shoot, the buds growing from the 

 lower part of the stem must be suppressed ; afterwards, 

 the buds higher up progressively ; but those growing 

 close about the graft must not be removed until the 

 graft has attained a height of from 6 to 10 inches. 



Branch grafting proper for fruit trees is of the three 

 following kinds : 



1. CLEFT GRAFTING. This requires a longitudinal 

 incision in the wood of the stock. The operation is 

 performed in spring, as soon as the buds of the stock 

 begin to open. 



Single Cleft Grafting (fig. 12). The branch which 

 serves for graft may be from 3 to 6 inches in length, 

 according to the degree of vigour shown by the 

 stock. Choose for the graft a branch with a bud upon 

 its summit, A. Cut the lower part of the graft in a 

 flat pointed form, to the length of 1J or 2 inches, 

 commencing from the bud B. When the graft is thus 

 prepared, cut the head of the stock horizontally across, 

 and smooth it with a sharp knife ; upon this cut make 

 with a knife a vertical cleft, C, down the middle of the 

 stem, about 2 inches long. The cleft must be kept open 

 by a small wedge while the graft is being placed in it. 



The top of the graft E, fig. 13, should be slightly 

 inclined towards the centre of the stem, while the lower 

 part, F, should project a little outwards, in order that 

 the interior bark of the graft and of the subject may 



