GRAFTING. 



151 



taught in the early summer and practised by the pupils in 

 July and August on orchard trees, rose-bushes, or 

 wayside shrubs. A slit, an inch or more in length, 

 is cut with a sharp knife in a clean, smooth, healthy 

 part of a branch. Near the top of the slit make a 

 cross-cut as shown in the illustration, and open up 

 the bark to permit the admission of the "shield" of 

 the bud. Seek a healthy bud of the same species ; 

 begin to cut at about an inch below the bud and 

 extend the cut to a quarter inch or more above 

 it. Cut deep enough not to injure the bud and 

 shallow enough to avoid much wood. Insert the 

 shield into the opened slit ; close the opened bark of 

 the stock over the shield and tie in position with 

 raffia or soft cord. In two or three weeks there 

 ought to be union of the parts ; but the bud will 

 not grow until the next spring, and then 

 the part of the branch above it should be 

 cut off. 



A shield bud 



and twig with 



slit on side 



prepared to 



receive the 



shield. 



Grafting. — The art of grafting may be practised in 

 the school-room upon detached branches and twigs. 

 When the pupils have learned how to cut and fit 

 the scion and stock they may use their knowledge 

 in the home-orchard or upon road-side maples or 

 poplars or basswoods. 



The common forms of grafting are known as 

 cleft or wedge, splice or whip, saddle and side. 

 The first is the kind most practised in the orchard. 



. i , . , . . An American 



A branch, an inch or more m thickness, is sawn e im stock 

 across and split towards the trunk for an inch or two. with a 



t European 



Into the cleft a twig of the preceding year's growth, elm scion set 



the scion, is carefully inserted. The scion should be 



a bit of healthy twig bearing two or three buds and cut at 



