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inch, dividing the wood between the bark and face of sloping 

 cut into two nearly equal parts (see Fig. 3, a). It will be seen 

 that the tongue is cut, not split. Cut off the lower part of the 

 seedling, leaving the stock about 3 or 4 inches in length. If 

 the remainder of root is large enough, another stock may be 

 made from it. Well-grown seedlings with a straight tap root 

 10 to 15 inches long will make two to three good stocks. 



Preparing the Scion. — The uniting surface of the scion is pre- 

 pared in the same manner as described for the stock, the 

 tongue being cut, of course, on the lower end of the scion. The 

 scion should be cut to a length of 6 or 7 inches (see Fig. 3, b). 



The stock and scion are united by causing their tongues to 

 interlock. In fitting them together it is necessary that the 

 growing areas, i.e., inner bark lines of scion and stock, should 

 be in contact on one side of the union. If the stock and scion 

 have been properly prepared the two pieces will fit perfectly 

 without any overlapping of the ends. The stock and scion 

 should be pushed firmly together so that the pieces will form 

 a fairly rigid union. 



After the stock and scion are fitted together they should be 

 bound with string to prevent mechanical injury in handling 

 and to hold the cut surfaces in more intimate contact, thereby 

 preventing drying out and insuring a callousing over of the 

 wound. Number 20 cotton thread is generally used for this 

 purpose. The operation is as follows: Holding the finished 

 graft by the scion in the left hand, begin to wrap the string 

 around the top of the union. Catch the free end of the string 

 under the first or second wrap of the string, then wind the 

 string around three or four times; pass to the lower end of 

 the union by making one or two spiral turns of the string. 

 Wrap the lower end of the union three or four times, and by 

 slipping the string between the end of the scion and the side 

 of the stock, give the string a sharp jerk. The string will 

 break near the graft and the end will remain fast, preventing 

 unwinding (see Fig. 3, c). 



Storing the Grafts. — The finished grafts are tied in bunches 

 of 25 to 50 and are then buried in moist sand stock down to 

 a depth of 5 or 6 inches, or they may be packed in boxes in 

 alternating layers of grafts and moist sand. The grafts must 



