CHAPTER XXIV 



PROPAGATION OF FRUIT TREES 



Bv GEORGE BUNYARD 



Apples, pears, plums, cherries, and quinces are increased by budding in August 

 and September and also by grafting in March and April. The former is the 

 easier operation. The union of stock and scion usually is more perfect and 

 heals sooner upon budded trees than upon grafted ones. In either case it is 

 important that the stocks made use of should be well established. They 

 should be planted in November ; grafting is best done in March and April. 

 If the stocks are clean, healthy, and of free growth and planted before March, 

 they can be budded the same season. If they are at all dried up by the July 

 heat and growth is poor it is better not to bud them, but to graft them the 

 following spring. Buds inserted when the bark of the stock does not easily 

 separate from the woody centre are seldom satisfactory. Amateurs would learn 

 more in ten minutes by seeing the operation done^ by some local gardener than 

 by a long written description. 



For grafting, the desired scions {i.e. the shoots to be grafted) should be cut 

 from the tree and laid in a shady place and covered with soil two-thirds of their 

 length, there to remain until required in March or April ; then they take to 

 the stock better. If the stocks are dwarfs they can be cut down at the grafting 

 season, but if large espaliers or standard trees are intended to be grafted they 

 should be cut back in February, and not grafted until the sap is rising. 



There are three methods of grafting : (a) Whip-grafting upon small stocks ; 

 [b) rind-grafting upon older trees ; {c) cleft-grafting upon large branches. In 

 the first {a) the scion is cut with a long tongue, and a notch is made in the 

 woody part to fit a corresponding notch in the stock, which is cut obliquely ; 

 the scion should exactly fit the stock cut to receive it. In h the outer rind or 

 bark of the stock is raised with a chisel, the bark of the scion is removed, and 

 the woody portion flattened and inserted under the bark. In c the end of the 

 branch is opened with a chisel and mallet, and the graft is cut three-sided 

 (wedge-shaped) to fit in the opening, two grafts can be inserted, if the branch 

 is upright ; if bending, one on the upper side only. 



The work is first tightly bound round with Russian bast, then some clay, 

 well mixed with short straw or horse manure, is placed over the graft and 

 pressed closely around it to exclude air ; wax may be used, composed of resin 

 and tallow ; this must be used hot. As soon as the grafts have " taken " and 

 have made I foot of growth the clay or resin is removed and the ties are 

 slightly loosened, but they are not removed for a month, until the union is 



