NINTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



109 



•during a greater portion of the season. In one case noted, 

 the cions grew over a foot when killed by the drought, and 

 the stock died to the ground. 



In grafting chestnuts, almost any form of graft may be 

 used — the cleft, tongue and bark grafts being employed in 

 the work just mentioned. Though the cions will "take" 

 equally well with either, the tongue-graft seems to give a 

 smoother and perhaps stronger union than either of the 

 other forms. The bark graft is least satisfactory in this 

 respect and is the most likely to be broken off by winds. 

 The best results will probably be obtained by tongue-graft- 

 ing the small branches from one-fourth to one-half inch in 

 diameter. Then we must avoid cutting off large branches, 

 where not well shaded, for these almost invariably sun- 

 burn and the stock is seriously injured or perhaps killed. 



TONGUE OR WHIP GRAFT. 



If a larger tree is to be top-worked, it is advisable to graft 

 only a few of the branches each season, leaving enough 

 foliage on the tree to shade the grafts the first season. 

 Where the graft makes a vigorous growth it is often nec- 

 essary to support it by tying to a stake to prevent it being 

 broken off by strong winds. The tongue and bark grafts 

 need tying to hold the cions in place. Raffia is the best 

 tying material. This substance is obtained from a species 

 of palm in Madagascar and retails for about twenty cents 

 per pound. All cut surfaces of cion and stock must be 

 covered with wax to prevent them from drying out. There 

 are many formulas for making grafting wax, and the fol- 



