^° OBCHASDS 



quite frequently and prevent, at least, at intervals, grass 

 and tree roots growing at the same time on the same 

 land. 



My process of ingrafting for the last few years on 

 old trees has been to insert one-third of the tree each 

 year, commencing at the top and working downw^ards 

 until the Avhole of the tree was completed ; thus requir- 

 ing three years to complete the work. This method is 

 better than any other I have tried for ingrafting old 

 trees, as it gives the young grafts an opportunity of 

 getting well started ; cutting off and ingrafting the top 

 first gives the grafts there the best chance, while the 

 necessary pruning of the top throws the sap into the 

 remaining side branches and prepares them for ingraft- 

 ing the second year; the third year, the lower branches 

 will have been made ready in the same way. As far 

 as I have had observation and experience I am satisfied, 

 especially in ingrafting old trees, that the practice of 

 cutting off all or nearly all the limbs the first year, is 

 far from being judicious ; by this method there is not 

 sufiicient strength in the top to draw the sap from the 

 roots for the growth and nourishment of the young grafts. 

 Hence the first year, by this process, the grafts barely 

 live ; the second year they make only slow progress, 

 and by this time the whole tree begins to decline, and 

 in a few years is nearly useless. In 1851 I had five or 

 six trees fast going to decay ; so much so that it was 

 doubtful in my mind, as well as in the mind of others, 

 whether they were worth ingrafting. I however com- 

 menced the w^ork, in May 1851, in '52, and '53. . I cut 

 away the old limbs sparingly, except those that were 

 dead or nearly so ; very little was done by way of cut- 



