THE MANGO 117 



dormant wood ; and from 3 to 5 inches in length. A slanting 

 cut 1 to 2 inches long is made on one side, tapering to a point 

 at the lower end of the cion. The stock may be of almost 

 any size. When young plants are used they are cut back to 1 

 foot above the ground, and a slit about 1 inch long is made 

 through the bark, extending downward from the top of the 

 stump. The cion is then forced in, with its cut surface next to 

 the wood, and is tied in place with soft cotton string. No 

 wax is used. The graft is inclosed in three or four thicknesses 

 of oiled paper which is wound around the stock and tied firmly 

 above and below. This is left on for twelve to twenty days, 

 when it is untied at the lower end to admit air. Fifteen or 

 twenty days later the cions will have begun to grow and the 

 paper can be removed entirely. 



This method is applicable not only to nursery stock but also 

 to old trees which it is desired to topwork. In this case about 

 half of the main branches of the tree should be cut off at three 

 or four feet from their union with the trunk. It is necessary 

 to leave several branches to keep the tree in active growth; 

 this also has a beneficial effect on the grafts by protecting them 

 from the sun. When the cions are well established, these 

 branches may be removed or they also may be grafted if more 

 limbs are necessary to give the tree a good crown. The cions 

 are inserted under the bark at the cut ends of the limbs, exactly 

 as described for young stocks, but larger cions may be used. 



In Florida many large trees have been topworked by cutting 

 off several of the main branches, close to their union with the 

 trunk, and allowing a number of sprouts to come out. When 

 these have reached the proper size, they are budded in the 

 same manner as seedlings. 



Throughout the tropics there are many thousands of seedling 

 mango trees which are producing fruit of inferior quality. 

 By topworking, these trees could be made to yield mangos of 

 the choicest Indian varieties. The work is not difficult and 



