PROPAGATING FRUIT TREES. 



209 



Fig. 26. 



have been devised, all of whicli may be resolved 

 into modifications of three forms, namely, cleft, 

 whip, and saddle grafting. 



Cleft grafting is the method 

 usually applied to large trees, and 

 wherever the stocks are much lar- 

 ger than the scions. The trunk or 

 limbs of the stock are usually sawed 

 and smoothed off with a square 

 cut. With a splitting-iron, as seen 

 in Fig. 26, a split is made, usually 

 down the centre of the limb, as 

 shown in Fig. 27. The split is to 

 be opened by the wedges at either end of the 

 splitting iron. The scion is then 

 to be cut in a wedge form, corre- 

 sponding to the split in the stock. 

 The side of the scion which is to 

 be within the stock should be 

 shaved slightly thinner than the 

 outer edge, in order that the pres- 

 sure of the stock may be firm at 

 the bark. As the bark of the 

 stock is usually thicker than the 

 new bark of the scion, it is neces- 

 sary in such a case to place the 

 scion slightly within the outer 

 bark making sure, by careful inspection, that the 



Fig. 27. 



