

S'^^W^^*^-^'! 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ALL ITS VARIOUS KiNDilaU AilTS AND SCIENCES. 



GRAFTING. 



This operation is of great importance to the fruit- 

 grower, as he can readily change a worthless tree to 

 a variety of the highest character. Many cases can 

 be named in which a great profit has resulted by 

 changes under this valuable process. A person 

 unacquainted with grafting, on examining into the 

 vast utility attending it, is struck with admiration at 

 an operation so wonderful, and yet so simple, and 

 of easy application. 



Scions for grafting should be cut before the buds 

 begin to swell, as they will not only keep longer, 

 but they will succeed better, than those cut later. 

 "WTien cut in fall, or cai'ly winter, they will keep in 

 good condition later, than those cut in March. This 

 shows the importance of cutting before vegetation 

 commences. If scions are cut after the buds begin to 

 swell, it is better to set them immediately, as they will 

 be checked by delay, which has an unfavorable effect. 



To presers^c scions, prepare a tight chest or box, 

 moisten the inside, and place in the bottom either 

 moist saw-dxxst, moss, loam, or sand, or a moist cloth, 

 or mat, to hold moisture, and keep the scions cool. 

 Lay in the scions — the more the better, as they pre- 

 serve each other by their freshness or moisture. Cover 

 them with a moist cloth or mat, and renew the mois- 

 ture occasionally, as warm weather comes on. Place 

 the box in a cool part of the cellar ; if in a damp, dark 

 part, the better. It is much better to surround the 

 scions with moisture than to apply water directly to 

 them. Some persons destroy scions by too much 

 care in keeping them wet. "\Mien set on quite moist, 

 or rather wet earth, they absorb moisture to their 

 injury. 



Scions may be set, in this climate, from the latter 

 part of MaiTh to tte last of June. Those set in 

 June will make a smaller growth. April and May 

 are very favorable months for this operation, and the 

 greater part of grafting is done in April, or the latter 

 part of April and early in May. Stone fruit should 

 be grafted rather early, as the scions do not keep so 

 well as other kinds, and the scions will not take so 

 well after vegetation commences and the bark peels. 



Grafting compositioa is now generally iL^ed instead 1 



of clay, as was formerly the prjictice. This composi- 

 tion is made with one part of beef tallow, two parts 

 of beeswax, and fo\ir parts of rosin, melted together, 

 and then txu'ncd into cold water, and pulled and 

 worked thoroughly, like shoemakers' wax. The 

 articles should be pure and of the best quality. 



Sometimes mutton tallow or lard is mixed with 

 beef tallow, meal with beesAvax, or the wax may be 

 dirty and poor ; and the greater part of rosin sold in 

 the interior is dark colored and inferior. Good rosm 

 is of a light color, and almost transparent ; and when 

 the very best is used, the composition will bear five 

 parts. Grafting composition is generally for sale at 

 agricultural stores, and some may find it more con- 

 venient to purchase it than to make it. 



NOTICES OF PUBLICATIONS. 



PllOCEEDINGS OF THE NaTION/VL CoN-TENTION 0? 



Fruit Growers. — "We arc indebted to Hon. Marshall 

 P. "Wilder for this work, which is a pamphlet of fifty- 

 two pages, containing the doings of a largo conven- 

 tion of fruit-gi'owcrs, held in the city of New York, 

 in October last, under the auspices of the American 

 Institute. The object was to compare specimens of 

 fruits, and opinioiis, discuss the merits of different 

 varieties, and elicit the best information from various 

 sections of the country. Mr. "Wilder was called to 

 preside over the deliberations of the convention, 

 which arc valuable and instructive. 



Hovey's Magazine of Horticulture for March, 

 is filled with a variety of very interesting matter. 



Illustrated Natural History, by Dr. A. B. 

 Strong: Green and Spencer, New York. This is a 

 monthly work, each number containing thirty-two 

 pages, and four beautiful and spirited engravings,of 

 vai-ious animals, with scientific and popular descrip- 

 tions. Price, one dollar per year. It is a work of 

 great interest and merit, and remarkably cheap. 



American Flora, by the same editor and publishers 

 as the above, monthly. Each number contains four 

 beautiful engravings of plants and flowers, and six- 

 teen pages of letter press, giving a scientific descrip- 

 tion of plants, their medical properties, uses, propa- 



