ii8 Notes and Gleanings. 



Liquid Grafting Wax. — We find in the Country Gentleman, the following 

 recipe for liquid grafting wax, from Mr. B. P. W^are, of Marblehead, Mass., who 

 has used it for several years, and considers it invaluable. We know that Mr. 

 Ware's opinion can be relied on. . 



" Melt one pound of rosin gently, then add one ounce of beef tallow ; stir 

 it well, take it from the fire, cool off a little, then mix with it one tablespoon- 

 ful of spirits of turpentine, and add seven ounces of alcohol, ninety-five per cent 

 proof ; tliis will cool it down so rapidly that it will be necessarj- to put it over 

 the fire again, stirring it constantly, taking care that it does not inflame ; remove 

 from the fire as soon as tlie lump begins to melt again, and continue stirring 

 until thoroughly mixed. It will appear like strained honey. After setting the 

 scions, apply a thin coating with a small brush ; the wax will soon harden, and 

 is impervious to air and water. 



" Use a kettle large enough, so that it will not foam over when you put in the 

 alcohol, which should be poured in gradually." 



Raising Apple Stocks. — Mr. D. W. Kauffinan, of the Io\\-a Homestead, 

 recommends sowing apple seeds broadcast. Though it costs more to culti\-ate 

 an acre, each stock stands alone, and they grow to a much better size than they 

 do in drills, and not more than half as much land is needed. The seed should 

 be soaked in warm water two or three days, then mixed with an equal amount of 

 sand, and kept wet until planting time. Plough deep, and put in the seed about 

 the middle of April, in new land that was first broken the year before. Sow just 

 like wheat, two bushels or more to the acre. Cover by harrowing and cross- 

 harrowing, and during the summer keep clean with hand and hoe. In the fall, 

 by running under with a root plough, and then puUing up, half a dozen hands 

 can take up fifty thousand in a day. 



Grafting the Hickory. — Hickor}- nuts var}' much in their wild state, but 

 the difficulties of propagation have prevented the multiplication of the choicer 

 specimens. Mr. Da\nd B. Dickinson, ha\nng tried various methods of grafting 

 without success, hit upon the following, which allows him to propagate the hick- 

 Qx^ with satisfactory results. Early in tlie spring he grafts the stock, which 

 should be small, \trs near the surface, or, if possible, below it. The graft 

 is waxed in the usual manner, and tlien the earth is heaped around to cover all 

 the scion except the upper end. Mr. D. has grafted trees now coming into 

 bearing, fi-om which he brings us specimens of the nuts. 



Atncricun A^rriculturist. 



