BULLETIN 231] WALNUT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 219 



consists in hoeing away the dirt from about the seedlings in such a 

 manner as to expose the trunk down to the crown of the root. Several 

 inches of surface soil must be soft, moist and mellow at this time, and 

 if not already in this condition, they must be made so by irrigation, 

 cultivation, or whatever method is necessary. The young trees are then 

 cut off with pruning shears or a saw close above ground. With a sharp 

 grafting knife the operator then cuts a sloping bevel on one side of the 

 stub and then with his knife splits the stub down on this side for about 

 an inch, as shown in Fig. 31 1. 



The Scion. Scions of the desired variety should be chosen and cut 

 from the tree at some time during the winter after growth has ceased 

 and the tree become dormant, choosing scions from the most productive 

 and best trees and branches. Most propagators prefer to cut their 

 scions some little time ahead of the time of grafting, as they consider 

 a sort of curing process beneficial. The best wood for scions consists 

 commonly of that of the previous season's growth, bearing well-formed 

 buds fairly close together, and with as much as possible of solid wood 

 rather than pith. Occasionally two-year-old wood may be used for 

 scions, but such wood commonly is deficient in good buds. Some con- 

 sider only terminal buds desirable for scions and use therefore simply 

 the tips of the shoots, but lateral buds develop equally well and their 

 use enables the propagator to utilize his wood to a much greater extent. 

 Grafting wood is commonly cut up into sticks about one foot in length, 

 each of which bears from 4 to 6 buds if the wood is of the most desir- 

 able form. During the period between cutting the scions and the time 

 of grafting, the wood must be stored in such a manner that it will retain 

 its moisture and vitality without at the same time getting too wet and 

 becoming water-logged. There is commonly more danger of the scions 

 becoming too wet than too dry, unless they are carefully handled. With 

 some it is the practice to bury the grafting wood in moist sand, which 

 method is good provided the sand is not kept too wet. In this method 

 the grafting sticks should be buried in sand which is barely moist, and 

 watched carefully to see that they are kept from extreme dryness, 

 without at the same time keeping the sand decidedly wet. There is 

 some objection to this method on the ground that more or less sand 

 clings to the scions and tends to dull the knife and adhere to the 

 surface of the cuts in grafting. Others keep their scions in moist 

 sawdust or sphagnum moss, which does away with the latter objection 

 and keeps the scions in good condition, provided again it is not made 

 too wet. We have found sawdust the most satisfactory material. 

 Others place the scions in a cool, out-of-door shed with only the butt 

 ends stuck into moist sand or sawdust, leaving a considerable part of the 

 length exposed to the air. Whatever method is followed the chief 



