Gl^M-'TlJMG WAXICS, WuUM) I )KI';SSI N ( IS^ KTC. 



\vra|ijiiiig rc(.liR'LS injury, the best luaturial being' rubber, then ch)lli 

 (wliich gave the largest pereentage ul smoDtli liealthy trees). 

 Clutli is also ehea]ier. 'I'he iu\ estigators stmngly oppose wrapping 

 with thread and then waxing. 



291. Bass, the inner l)ark uf ba.sswood, has until re- 

 cently been used in greenhouses and nttrseries to tie 

 plants, buds and grafts. Raftia has almost replaced it. 



292. Raffia, the lower epidermis of a 

 ^Madagascar jjalm (Raffia niffia). peeled 

 in narrow strips and dried, is extensively 

 used in America and Europe for tying 

 vines, flowers, celery and in graftage. It 

 is soft, strong enough for the purposes, 

 and not quickh' altered by moisture or 

 temperature. Because of its cheapness it 

 has displaced bass in nurser}' and green- 

 house jiractice. Its chief fault is its ten- 

 dency to roll when dry. Moistening 

 overcomes this. As received from 

 abroad, it is in jjlaits or skeins. Fig. 185 

 shows one of these unra^'eled. 



293. Grafts in moss and charcoal. — R. 

 C. de Briailles has simplified grape 

 bench grafting by the following plan : 



.-\s the grafts are made they are placed in a 

 box containing a three-iijch layer of damp moss 

 and charcoal (three to one) and covered with 

 another layer about half as deep. So on till the 

 box is nearly full, the remaining space being 

 filled with packing. The box may thus be ship- 

 ped or the grafts treated at once by 

 a room warmed to 50 or 60 degrees. 



FIG. 185— 

 SKEIN OF RAFFIA 



being placed in 

 Within 24 hours the 

 buds start lo swell, and in a week may be one-half inch long, when 

 the moss is remo^■ed for inspection. If all is well, new packing is 

 applied about half as thick. 



" If any grafts are rotting, the whole are exposed for 24 hours 

 and then covered. If too dry, a thicker layer of packing is added 

 and the box stood in water of the room temperature till the packing 

 is moistened nearly up to the callus. The tops of the grafts must 

 not be wetted, else rotting may follow. Watering thus once a 

 week will be enough. 



In two or three weeks the grafts will have callused and leaf 



