28 THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 



M in grafting. Side grafting is accomplished with success, buti^an only 

 be performed in the spring, when the sap in the stock begins to rise; this is 

 necessary, as the cion must be inserted when the bark peels, in the same 

 manner as a bud. The walnut does not put forth until quite late in 

 spring, and to secure good, firm wood it becomes necessary to gather the 

 cions before the trees start; and that they may be kept dormant are 

 covered with moist sand and placed in a cellar or cool place. In this 

 way they can be kept until the stocks have made sufficient growth so as 

 to facilitate grafting. I have experimented in grafting the walnut for 

 over twenty years, and the most successful method with me has been the 

 prong graft or prong bud (of my own origin). (See Plate IX, Figs. 1 to 

 5, illustrating prong budding. ) In this method the- small prongs found 

 at the extremity of the shoots are used. (Fig. 2, Plate IX, illustrates 

 the prong — cion — used, and how cut from the branch, reduced one half.) 

 The prong is cut as a bud, as shown in the illustration, and the wood is 

 partially removed with the point of a budding-knife, the same as in the 

 method of budding herein described. The stock is first prepared by 

 cutting off with a sharp saw and smoothing over with tljie knife; a 

 vertical incision is made on the side, and the cion inserted and tied tight 

 with strong budding twine of at least 18-ply. The cuts are waxed over 

 with grafting wax. After the cion has started the graft is examined 

 from time to time, and if it is found that the twine begins to cut into 

 the stock, it is untied and tied again; this will prevent any injury to 

 the stock or cion. The twine, however, should be allowed to remain as 

 long as possible, as it prevents the bark surrounding the slit made on 

 the stock from opening and uiiseating the cion, which is apt to occur 

 from the action of the atmosphere causing the cion to dry out and die. 

 When the cions have grown from 6 to 12 inches and assumed the 

 functions of the top, this precaution is no longer necessary, and the 

 twine is then removed altogether. The growth of the cions at this time, 

 however, is very tender, and they may be broken off by the slightest 

 touch; as a protection it is well to drive a stake at their side, to which 

 they are tied with some loose material or cloth strips. When this 

 method is employed on large limbs, or on the tops of trees, it is well to 

 tie a piece of limb or wood of any kind on the side of the branch and to 

 which the growth of the cion should be tied. Another good protection 

 is to take a piece of green shoot and tie both ends to the branch so grafted, 

 forming a loop over the bud, to prevent birds, etc., from sitting on the 

 graft and thereby disturbing it. 



CLEFT ROOT GRAFTING. 



One of the most satisfactory methods practiced on small walnut 

 stocks is the cleft root graft, and its application does not differ mate- 

 rially from the method practiced on pear and apple roots. 



The small plants (only one-year-olds are used) are taken up and 

 grafted indoors. (See Plate VII, Figs. 1 and 2.) They are cut off 

 at the crown and split obliquely and the cion (wedge-shape) inserted and 

 immediately tied with 6-ply or 8-ply budding twine or cloth, and waxed.* 

 They are then heeled in sand in some convenient place, exempt from 



* Only wax the parts cut or exposed, so that on planting the string or cloth on the 

 parts not waxed may decay and not bind the stock. It is also advisable to cnt the twine 

 or cloth on planting. ' 



