73 THE KUT CL'LTUEIST. 



injure newly set cions. The grafting may be continued, 

 while the leaves are unfolding, provided the cions were 

 cut early and stored in a cool place, where they remain 

 in a dormant state until used. I usually cut the shoots 

 wanted for this purpose during the late fall or winter, 

 and then pack them away in a cool cellar between layers 

 of damp moss {sphagnum) to be T)btained in almost any 

 swamp. Cions may be taken from the tree on the same 

 day that they are used, but there is some risk in this, 

 because we cannot control the weather, and a week of 

 warm rain in spring may delay us in grafting, while it is 

 pushing our stocks into leaf ; and then, our dormant 

 cions are available, while those on the trees are not, ow- 

 ing to their expanded and tender buds. 



The shoots used for cions ^re those of the previous 

 season's growth, or as usually termed, one-year-old 

 wood ; and in selecting these, endeavor to get such as 

 are plunip, well ripened and firm. If taken from young 

 and very thrifty chestnut trees, there is likely to be a 

 considerable portion of the upper end of the shoot that 

 is rather soft, spongy and immature, and this should be 

 discarded, as it would be a waste of time to use it. Of 

 course, I am supposing that the grafter is so fortunate 

 as to be able to make his own selection of the wood de- 

 sired ; if not, then he may be compelled to do the best 

 he can with that obtained elsewhere. 



Grafting Materials. — The really essential materi- 

 als and implements required in grafting nut trees are 

 few in number. Grafting wax must be provided, and 

 while there are many different compositions used for 

 this purpose, I much prefer, for ordinary work in the 

 open air, a wax made after the old formula, and as fol- 

 lows : Take one pound of common rosin, one-half pound 

 of beeswax, and one-quarter of a pound of beef tallow ; 

 melt together and stir enough to insure the thorough 

 intermingling of the ingredients, and then set away to 



