THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 



29 



draughts and sunlight, as 'follows: On the floor of a propagating house 

 or shed moist sand is spread out from 6 to 12 inches deep; then the 

 grafts are put into it standing, thickly, and covered with sand. The 

 entire graft to within an inch or two of the top' is covered without injury 

 to it. The sand should always be kept moist, but not too wet, 

 as the bark of the graft is liable to decay; and again, the sand 

 must not be allowed to get dry, as the bark of the graft will 

 shrivel and avoid adhesion. They are kept thus stored from four 

 to six weeks, during which time the parts (cion and stock) 

 callous over; they are then planted in nursery rows, and soon 

 after begin to grow. 



TRIANGULAR CROWN GRAFT. 



Like the preceding method (cleft root graft) this, too, has 

 proved successful. The stocks (a year old) are not split, but 

 instead a triangular incision is made in the side of the stock, as 

 shown in Fig. 5 at C, about 1 to 1-^ inches long. At this point 

 the wood of the stock is generally quite solid and the pith very 

 small. This cut rather consists of taking 

 out of the stock a triangular piece, into 

 which space a cion is inserted of the same 

 shape and size. D shows the space; A the 

 cion prepared for insertion. The cion (from 

 terminal shoots preferred) is prepared to iit 

 the corresponding space, as shown at B, and 

 fitted into the cleft. It is then tied with 

 cloth or twine and waxed over. 



This method is also employed with suc- 

 cess in the field. The earth is removed 

 from around the stocks and the tree is cut 

 smoothly about the crown or where the 

 swelling of the root begins. The graft 

 being inserted, it is tied with cloth, and 

 waxed. The soil is then banked up against 

 it, covering the graft and stock to within 

 an inch or two of the top of the cion. For 

 making the cleft and facing the cion it is 

 important that the knife be sharp to make 

 a smooth cut. This operation (in the field) 

 is best performed, and most successful, 

 when the stocks begin to show signs of 

 growth late in the spring. The cions are 

 cut late in the fall, or early spring, and 

 kept in sand preparatory to using. 



CLEFT SAP GRAFT. 



Much credit is due to Mr. Felix Gillet, of Nevada City, who has 

 experimented with all sorts of grafting on the walnut for many years, 

 for having given the public the results attained by him in the use of this 

 method. The operation is performed early in the spring when the sap 

 is commencing to flow, and can be used on large limbs from 3 to 5 inches 



