THE HICKORIES PECAN. 55 



Hicoria pecan] in being a much smaller tree, seldom being more than 10 or 12 feet 

 high while the other frequently reaches to 80 or 90 feet; in the smaller size of the 

 leaves, which rarely exceed 14 inches in length, the leaflets being 4 or 5 inches long, 

 while H. pecan has leaves from 19 to 20 inches long and leaflets 7 inches; but most 

 peculiarly in the shape of the ntit; this, in our species, is ovate, flattened, although 

 protuberant on the sides, and rough ; in the other very smooth, cylindrical, pointed at 

 each end. The leaves of H. olvceformis [pecan] are fully formed before this species 

 shows the least sign of foliation." 



Budding and grafting. Eeports received from many correspondents who have 

 been experimenting in the propagation of the pecan indicate that annular or ring 

 budding, root grafting, and cleft grafting at the collar have been the most successful. 

 Shield budding, the cleft grafting of branches, diagonal side or wedge grafting, such 

 as is practiced on the orange in Florida, while occasionally successful, are not to be 

 relied on in common practice. . 



Annular, or ring, budding. Jules Fonta, New Orleans, La., says: "In June and 

 July, when young seedlings are very sappy, we take oft' a ring of bark about three- 

 fourths of an inch long from the nursery stock to be budded and replace it with a ring 

 cut from a branch of equal size on the tree to be propagated, and tie to keep out rain. 

 This is the best way to propagate pecans in this climate." 



John Keller, Ocean Springs, Miss., writes : "After a series of experiments, I think 

 less than 40 per cent of grafts set in branches will grow, and a large proportion of 

 those set in the stump close to the bulge of the roots will succeed, and 90 per cent of 

 buds set by annular budding may be expected to grow." 



E. B. Kisien, San Saba, Tex., writes : " I have attempted to propagate the pecan 

 by budding small seedling trees near the ground the second and third year. Experi- 

 ments were successful to a degree better than grafting with me." 



Mr. Eisien has practiced for some years a method of annular top budding of large 

 trees with very satisfactory results. His method consists in cutting back established 

 trees, either self-grown or planted, in the early spring just as the sap begins to rise. 

 This causes a large number of vigorous shoots to be pushed out from dormant or 

 adventitious buds below the point of cutting back. The development of these shoots 

 is aided by hacking the old, rough bark of the stubbed limbs and trunk with a hatchet. 

 When the shoots have reached the size of an ordinary lead pencil, June 15 to July 15 

 in his locality, they are ready for budding. Scions of the season's growth are cut from 

 the tree that is to be propagated, using special care to secure such as are of the same 

 size as the shoots to be budded. Only such buds as are found on smooth, round wood 

 are suitable, and of these each scion yields but one or two, commonly near the base. 

 The budding is done by the "annular" or "ring" method described on page 13. Mr. 

 Kisien states that he chooses dry days for doing this work, and has better success 

 when several dry days follow the operation than when rainy weather occurs. He 

 places special stress upon careful wrapping and "tying in" of the bud, and prefers for 

 this purpose strips of old cotton cloth, as being less likely to cut into the tender and 

 fast-growing shoots. These shoots are headed back to within a few inches of the bud, 

 and the remaining portion of the shoot is entirely cut away by the time the bud is 1 

 year old. In about two weeks after budding the ties should be cut. The buds soon 

 push, if conditions are favorable, and must be tied to an older branch or other support 

 to protect them from being broken by hard winds. (See pi. 3.) 



Grafting at the collar. J. D. Husted, Vineyard, Ga., writes: "In clearing new 

 land I save hickory trees that are 2 or 3 inches in diameter, cleft graft at or near the 

 surface as soon as buds begin to swell and before the bark starts. I cover the entire 

 graft with earth, so that it will not dry out at the union." 



John Gr. Kline, Buckner, Ky. : " I have been successful in grafting on hickory near 

 the surface and hilling up to exclude air from the graft." 



