RENOVATING OLD TREES 



91 



even in our large bearing orchards. As with young trees, so with 

 old, transforming the character of the tree is done both by budding 

 and grafting. 



Budding Old Trees. One way to prepare an old tree for bud- 

 ding is to cut back the branches severely during the latter part of 

 the winter, which has the effect of forcing out new shoots around 

 the head of the tree, and in these the buds of the desired variety 

 are set in the summer, just as is done in budding nursery stock, 

 except that the budding should be done rather earlier because the 

 sap does not run as late. When the shoots are budded, those being 

 selected which are situated so as to give the best symmetry to the 

 new head, the shoots not budded are broken a foot or so from 

 where they emerge from the old wood, and are allowed to hang 

 until pruning-time. At the winter pruning the budded branches 

 are topped off a little above the bud and when the new shoot starts 

 it is often loosely tied to the stub of the old branch to prevent 

 breaking out in the wind. When it gets strength, the stub is cut 

 away smoothly to allow the wound to heal over. 



Another way is to insert the buds in the old bark at points 

 where it is desirable to have the new branches start. This is some- 

 times done by lifting the bark, as in ordinary budding, and slipping 

 the bud under, sometimes by what is called shield or plate budding, 

 which consists in removing a piece of the old bark entirely and 

 putting in its place a piece of bark of the desired variety, having 

 upon it a dormant bud. With plate budding it is necessary to be 

 careful to have the inserted bark just the size of the bared spot, 

 and to wrap it more closely than when the bud is slipped under 

 the bark of the stock. In all cases in budding old trees, care must 

 be taken to get fully-matured buds, and it is well to take them 

 from large shoots, which have a thicker and firmer bark than may 

 be used in budding nursery stock. It is also desirable to be very 

 sure that the buds are taken not only from a tree of the desired 

 variety, but from a healthy, vigorous tree of that variety. 



In selecting buds, also, one must be sure that he gets leaf buds, 

 and not fruit buds only. In taking buds from some kinds of bear- 

 ing trees, of course, he may sometimes, to get well-ripened buds, be 

 obliged to take both fruit and leaf buds together. This will work 

 well if care is taken not to rub off the leaf bud. It is rather easier, 

 however, to work with buds from young trees not yet in bearing 

 if one can be sure that these trees are of the desired variety. 



Grafting Old Trees. Old trees are also renewed by grafting. 

 This is most generally done by the old process of "top grafting." 

 The main stem or the larger branches are cut square off, and the 

 scions, usually two, but four or more if in the trunk, are shaped and 

 set into clefts in the stock as shown in the engraving. It is better 

 to use limbs above the main fork, or head of the tree, than to graft 



