270 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



with the old unhealthy stock ; but even when this is done, it takes 

 the vine several years to overcome the effect of the unhealthy stock. 



When the object is to guard a variety subject to the Phylloxera 

 against this very destructive insect, a variety which will resist the in- 

 sects should be selected for the stock and one which is perfectly healthy 

 and vigorous. The graft should be inserted near the surface of the 

 ground or above it where this is the object. We believe it is best to 

 graft a weak grower on a vigorous one. The cion should be of last 

 year's growth, rather short jointed, healthy, and about oue-eighth or 

 one-sixth of an inch in diameter. They should be cut from the vine 

 before hard, freezing weather. They can be kept in the ground or in 

 the cellar in damp moss, sand, or sawdust. 



In the south the fall or early winter is thought to be the best time 

 for grafting. North of 36° 30' we think it not best to graft in the 

 fall or winter, because the frost causes the ground to heave and the 

 graft may thus be thrown out. In the latitude of Missouri, grafting 

 should be done in the spring before the active flow of the sap begins. 

 As a general thing we have nice, open days in the spring in this lati- 

 tude for this purpose. At the north, where the spring comes in all at 

 once, there are but few of these fine days in the spring that can be 

 made use of in grafting. In such a place it is generally thought to 

 be best to graft between the exceeding strong flow of sap in the springs 

 and the full development of the first young growth. During this 

 period the flow of sap is not so active, but it exudes from the wound 

 in a very gummy state. 



The method of grafting most generally used is called cleft grafting. 

 Select your time for grafting and clear the soil away from about the 

 vine intended for the stock to the depth of about three or four inches, 

 and select a place a little below the surface of the earth where the ex- 

 terior is smooth, and cut off the vine herewith a fine-toothed saw or a 

 sharp knife. The vine should be cut horizontally at this place. Take 

 a grafting chisel or other sharp instrument and split the stock down 

 about one and one-half or two inches. With a sharp knife make the 

 lower end of the cion wedge-shaped to insert in the cleft. It is pos- 

 itively necessary that the bark of one side of the cion should come in 

 close contact with the bark on the stock, but it is not necessary that 

 the bark of both sides of the cion comes in contact with the bark of 

 the stock. The cells of the inner bark of the cion must unite with 



