Nature-Study Agriculture 



" Working 

 over" a 

 Iree 



Grafting is usually done when the stock is small, 

 one year old or less, but sometimes an old tree is " worked 



B 



FIGS. 54 and 55. Cleft grafting (left) and budding (right). In each figure, 

 A is the scion and B the stock; C shows scion and stock joined. 



over "or " top grafted," in order to make it bear more 

 desirable fruit. In this operation " cleft grafting " is 

 used. All the limbs are sawed off, the ends are split 

 or sawed open, and a graft is wedged into the end of 

 each limb. Sometimes two grafts are inserted (Fig. 54). 

 Unless the graft is firmly wedged in place, it must be 

 tied with raffia or soft cord. (Raffia is a fiber that 

 comes from a kind of palm. It may be purchased at 

 seed 'stores.) The binding material must be removed 

 as soon as growth begins. When the limbs are taken 



