12 



beginners' guide to fruit growing 



wise pears are usually grown two years in the nurs- 

 ery, but strong-growing varieties, like Kieffer, on 

 good land will reach such a size the first season as 

 to make transplanting advisable. 



cleft-grafting 



While budding and whip-grafting are usually 

 used in the propagation of trees in the nursery, 

 cleft-grafting has its common 

 application in the reworking of 

 old trees in the orchard. If old 

 pear trees, apple trees, or plum 

 trees are bearing unknown or 

 undesirable varieties of fruit 

 they may be changed by graft- 

 ing to any other variety de- 

 sired. This is sometimes called 

 top-grafting, as the work is 

 done in the tops of the trees 

 instead of on the roots. 



This top-grafting is done in 

 early spring, the earlier the 

 better. The last half of 

 March offers the best oppor- 

 portunity, and the work runs grave danger 

 of failure if delayed until the buds start on the 

 trees. Cions for top-grafting are cut late in the fall 

 before heavy freezing. They should be securely 

 labeled with the names of varieties and stored in a 

 cool dark cellar. When grafting time arrives prep- 

 arations begin by making up a batch of grafting 

 wax. Every true and tried graftsman has his own 

 pet formula for this mixture, but the following 

 recipes will serve as a basis for the work of begin- 

 ners: 



FIG. 10 — CLEFT-GRAFT- 

 ING 



