48 FIELD XOTES ON APPLE CULTURE. 



old Style of grafting, and I think that in every case wliere 

 the tree was fifteen years or more old, bad results liave 

 followed. In some cases trees have died. In others the 

 grower wisely concluded not to sacriSce all tlie large and 

 handsome branches which were not grafted, and the trees 

 soon grew up thick again on the old stock, and the scions 

 dwindled or perished. In other cases the whole top had 



Fig. 7. — GRAI-TING KXIFE. 



to be grafted over again according to the newer methods. 

 The kind of grafting most likely to be practiced in the 

 orchard is that known as cleft grafting. The process is a 

 simple one. In May, Just as the leaves are pushing out 

 vigorously, saw off the limb to be grafted where it is an 

 inch or less in diameter ; trim the edges of the " stub " 

 smooth, and split it with a large knife, or a cleaver made 



Fig. 8.— GRAFTING MALLET. 



for the purpose. The best implement for this purpose 

 can be made from an old flat file by any blacksmith. 

 Its shape is represented in figure 7. The curved cutting 

 portion should span about five inches. The handiest 

 mallet is made of a simple straight piece of hard wood, 

 about fifteen inches long and hung over the wrist by a 

 large loop of soft twine. This mallet is always in place 

 for use and it is not dropping from the tree. It is shown 

 in figure 8. Split the "stubs" horizontally. If you 



