April, 1913] THE REJUNEVATION OF OLD ORCHARDS 45 



to do the grafting. It is not advisable to try and graft limbs over 

 three inches in diameter. The grafts should be set back as near the 

 center and trunk of the tree as possible, in order to keep the new 

 head low and compact. Only those limbs that are to be grafted 

 should be cut off, leaving the others to form the top during the first 

 season before the cions have grown out. 



The first step in cleft grafting is to saw off the limb and carefully 

 split the stub, taking care that the split does not encounter a knot 

 but runs straight down the sides of the limb. The cleft should be 

 spread by means of a wedge and it is ready to receive the cions. 

 These should be cut from near the middle of the cion stick, for 

 there the buds are most vigorous. Beginning on either side of the 

 bud, cut the lower end of the cion in the form of a wedge, the edge 

 on the opposite side from the bud being slightly the narrower. 

 About three buds should be left on the cion which should be insert- 

 ed into the cleft, with its narrower side towards the center of the 

 stock. This allows the thicker portion of the wedge to be gripped 

 firmly by the limb. The greatest care should be taken to see that 

 the inner bark of stock and cion come in contact with each other at 

 one or more places. By setting the cion at a slight angle, this con- 

 tact is insured. After placing two cions the wedge should be re- 

 moved and the entire cut surface including the tips of the cions and 

 the cracks along the sides of the limb should be covered with graft- 

 ing wax. If both cions start, one should be removed after the first 

 season's growth. 



THE RECORD OF SIX REJUVENATED ORCHARDS. 



In 1910- '11, A. L. Dacy, then Assistant Horticulturist of the Ex- 

 periment Station, undertook to demonstrate the practicability of 

 restoring run down West Virginia orchards to profitable production. 

 Full credit for the success of the work belongs to Mr. Dacy, who 

 supervised the operations in all the orchards, the author of this bul- 

 letin being associated with the work only during the past season. 



The orchards are fairly well distributed, being located at Letart, 

 Grape Island, Salama, Parkersburg and Terra Alta and represent 

 very well the general run of neglected orchards in the state. In fact 

 some of them represented more difficult propositions than the 

 average. This is especially true of the one at Letart. 



The Dayis Orchard. 



In the fall of 1909, Mr. B. S. Davis purchased a farm at Letart. 



