GRAFTING. 3T 



when only a few are to be grafted, to wait until they can 

 be planted in the nursery rows at once. In planting, the 

 graftsTmust be handled very carefully to prevent dislo- 

 cating'.the scions. The ground should be rich and deeply- 

 plowed. Plant the grafts about one foot apart in the 

 row, leaving the top bud of the scion even with the sur- 

 face ^of the ground. Press the dirt firmly about them. 

 When the stocks have long lateral roots it is better to 

 open furrows with a spade and pack the dirt around the 

 roots with the hand. But when large numbers of small 

 grafts are to be planted, it can be done much more rap- 

 idly by using a dibble, which is made of a piece of wood 

 about one foot long, pointed with iron (jig. 33.) With this 



Fig. 33. 



a hole of suflScient depth is made and the dirt pressed 

 firmly around the graft with the dibble by thrust- 

 ing it into the ground near the graft, and pressing the 

 dirt so as to thoroughly close the opening from bottom to 

 top. A good implement for this purpose is a trowel made 

 of a piece of steel three or four inches wide and eight or 

 ten inches in length. Planted in this manner, if the 

 soil is good, the grafts, with proper attention, will often 

 be of sufficient size for transplanting at the end of the 



