170 THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



In making the resin and beeswax waxes, the materials are 

 first broken up finely and melted together. When thoroughly 

 melted, the liquid is poured into a pail or tub of cold water. 

 It soon becomes hard enough to handle, and it is then pulled 

 and worked until it becomes tough or "gets a grain," at which 

 stage it becomes the color of very light-colored manilla paper. 

 When wax is applied by hand, the hands must be well greased 

 (pages 150-151). Hard cake tallow is the best material for 

 this purpose. In top-grafting large trees, it is well to carry 

 a supply of tallow when waxing, by smearing the backs of the 

 hands before entering the tree. 



Common hard resin and beeswax waxes 



1. Resin, 4 parts by weight; beeswax, 2 parts; tallow, 1 part. Tur- 

 pentine, 2 to 4 ounces, is sometimes added. 



2. Resin, 6 pounds; beeswax, 1 pound; linseed oil, 1 pint. Apply 

 warm with a brush, one-eighth of an inch thick over all the joints. 



3. Resin, 4 pounds ; beeswax, 1 pound ; and from half to a pint of raw 

 linseed oil ; melt all together gradually, and turn into water and pull. 

 The linseed oil should be entirely free from cottonseed oil. A hard wax, 

 for use in warm weather. 



Waxes to be applied melted, from a grafting-pot (Peck) 

 4. A good melted wax may be made by the following formula : 



Resin (crushed) 5 pounds 



Beeswax (finely cut) 1 pound 



Powdered wood charcoal ^ pound 



Raw linseed oil \ pint 



Melt the resin and the beeswax together, add the charcoal, and stir 

 the mixture briskly to prevent lumping. Add the linseed oil, and mix it 

 thoroughly with the other ingredients. The wax is then ready for use 

 It is applied hot with a small brush. It does not crack badly, nor does it 

 melt and run during hot weather. 



