March Sowing and Planting 



of fruit trees in the open quarter is a matter of greater 

 difficulty. The best results are obtained by means of 

 special open stoves in which fires are lit when frosty 

 weather threatens; it is found that the warmth of the 

 smoke is sufficient to prevent the flowers being damaged. 



Grafting Fruit Trees, The most useful method of 

 grafting, since it enables one to make old fruit trees 

 into new ones and to substitute valuable varieties for 

 worthless ones, is that known as crown or rind grafting. 

 The old branches are cut back to within a convenient 

 distance of the trunk, say 12 to 18 inches, and the grafts 

 or scions are inserted round the edge of the stock, 

 between the bark and the wood of the shortened 

 branches. Each scion is pointed so that it may be in- 

 serted easily behind the bark, and 2 or 3 inches from the 

 pointed end a horizontal cut is made half way through 

 the scion ; this fits easily on the upper surface of the 

 stock and has the effect of keeping the scion firm. 

 Three or four or even more scions may be grafted on 

 each shortened branch. The process is completed by 

 covering the base of the scions with grafting wax or 

 clay, so that air is excluded. Seccotine is said to answer 

 the purpose just as well, and it is certainly convenient 

 to use. 



Unless preparations were made some time ago, graft- 

 ing fruit trees may not be successful. It is usual to cut 

 back the branches of the trees in February and to 

 prepare the scions early in the year. The latter are 

 chosen from firm shoots of the previous year's growth, 

 and are put on a border facing north until wanted for 

 grafting late in March, two-thirds of each shoot being 

 beneath the soil. Then the conditions commonly ac- 

 knowledged to be essential to successful grafting are 

 secured a stock in which the sap is moving freely and 

 scions that are dormant. Yet so full of surprises is 

 gardening that those who, wishing to graft, have not 

 observed these preliminary precautions need not be 



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