94 



CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



As to whether it is better to remove the whole top of the tree 

 and graft all the limbs in one year, there is some difference of 

 opinion. The prevailing practice is to graft over part of the limbs 

 one year and the balance the following year; or else to leave part 

 of the top to shade the bark and take part of the sap flow until 

 the grafts start out well, and then cut it away. When a large 

 amount of grafting is to be done, the limbs may be cut off during 

 the weeks preceding grafting. In this case, the cut should be made 

 a foot or two above the grafting point and a second cut be made at 

 this point, when ready to put in the scions. 



Whenever old bark is exposed by cutting back for grafting, 

 thorough protection against sunburn must be provided, fhe sim- 

 plest way to do this is to cover the exposed bark with good white- 

 wash. By using thirty pounds of lime, four pounds tallow, and five 

 pounds of salt with enough water to make it flow well, a tenacious 

 whitewash can be secured. 



What has been said thus far relates especially to the working 

 over of old trees of common deciduous fruits. Though much the 

 same method will succeed with some of the semi-tropical fruits and 

 with nut trees, the discussion of their propagation and grafting over- 

 will be deferred to the chapters devoted to them, and this will also 

 give opportunity to describe methods especially adapted to these 

 fruits. 



