Propagation and Care of Plants 79 



off, the tree should be protected from sun scald by a 

 coat of whitewash. Often a few limbs are left until 

 the next year to shade the tree. 



In all grafts, wax is spread over the place where the Grafting 

 stems have been joined. This is done to keep out air 

 and moisture. Where slender stems are grafted, they 

 are generally bound together before the wax is applied. 

 Good grafting wax can be made by melting together one. 

 pound of tallow, two pounds of rosin, and a pound of 

 beeswax. 



The most common method of budding is illustrated Budding / 

 in Figures 55, 56, 57, and 58. It is known as " shield " or 

 " T " budding. For this work buds should be selected Selection 

 from the middle part of the branch. Those at the tip 

 are too young, and those far back are too old. They 

 should be dormant (resting) ; that is, they should not 

 have begun to unfold. A well-developed bud is chosen, 

 and the edge of a sharp knife is placed crosswise half an 

 inch above it. A cut is made downward through the 

 bark till the knife comes out half an inch below the bud. 

 With the point of the knife some of the wood is picked 

 from the back of the bud. , 

 If there is a - leaf at the 

 bud, it should be cut off so 

 as to teave the petiole for a 



handle. A T-shaped cut is ^fllH Inserting 



made in the stock ; the bark 5!S|fl&^^^ bud in 



stock 

 on each side of the vertical 



cut is rolled back, and the 



bud is inserted (Fig. 57). v 5 D A 



A wet strip of raffia is FIG. 56. Cutting a bud. 



