252 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



May, 1912 



it is apt to shrivel too quickly — before it 

 gets support from its new source. It should 

 also not be unduly hard as it then takes 

 considerably longer to establish a union. 



The cions may be gathered in the fall 

 and put away in a cool cellar in sand or 

 damp moss to keep them from shrivelling. 

 This is what the nurseryman does, and 

 when an)- great amount of grafting is to 

 be done, I think it is the really practical 

 method. But we are not all so far sighted, 

 and very often we do not think of grafting 

 until spring comes. You can have just as 

 much success from spring planted cions. 

 Cut the cion early in the spring — as early 

 in the spring as possible — but even if they 

 are not gathered until a couple of weeks 

 before grafting time they will be all right. 

 But they must be gathered before the buds 

 swell, and then buried to retard them. 



There are special grafting tools, but they 

 are not necessities. The most important 

 instrument is a good sharp knife. If you 

 have any budding to do use a budding 

 knife; the knife used must be sharp and 

 cut clean. I carry a very small oil stone 

 with me and whet my knife occasionally. 

 For cleft grafting you also need a chisel 

 and a mallet or hammer for splitting the 

 stock. The chisel also must be sharp so 

 that a clean cut is made and no rough 

 jagged edges are left on either stock or cion. 

 Grafting wax and tying material are also 

 necessary. Rama is the best material for 

 tying and it canbe secured at any seed store. 

 The wax can also be bought, but if you 

 prefer to make your own this is how to do 

 it: Melt together i pound of tallow, 2 

 pounds beeswax, and 2 pounds resin. Pour 

 the melted liquid in some vessel and when 

 partly hardened it should be pulled until 

 it works freely. It can then be put away 

 until wanted for use. When using wax for 



cleft grafts, I always heat it until it is a 

 liquid and pour it on the graft. It then 

 fills all crevices. 



When top working a tree of any size, 

 size up the tree before you start. Then 

 ascend the tree and cut off the branches 

 where you intend to graft. Cut off enough 

 to have a good symmetrical tree after the 

 grafts take; because after the grafts take 

 it will be necessary to gradually remove all 

 other growth. This takes from two to 

 three seasons with a large tree. Cut the 

 branches back until you have about two 

 inches of wood to work the grafts on. After 

 you have cut off all the branches upon 

 which you intend to graft, split them with 

 the chisel in the centre and down about 

 three inches from the top. Place a wedge 

 in each to keep it open and then place your 

 cions in position, one on each side. The 

 cions should have been previously shaped 

 and if they don't fit perfectly, shape them 

 again. Don't be careless about this, as 

 it is very important. The bark of the cion 

 and stock must fit together perfectly, and 

 the scion should extend at least one and a 

 half inches into the stock. In setting the 

 cions be sure to get a bud just below the 

 top of the stock and although this will be 

 covered with wax it is the most promising 

 bud of the lot and will push its way right 

 through the wax. Cut off the cion three 

 buds above the graft and then cover with 

 wax. Pour the wax right in the cavity of 

 the stock and cover the outside with wax. 

 The wax can be partly hardened for this 

 and worked on with the hands, which should 

 be greased with lard. This cleft grafting 

 is, I think, the only practical method for 

 top-working old trees. 



Whip grafting is perhaps the most 

 generally practical method of grafting as 

 it ensures a perfect union because both 



stock and cion are the same size; in cleft 

 grafting the woody parts never unite. 



For whip grafting select cions the same 

 size as the stock and cut through each 

 diagonally. The cut should be about two 

 inches long and care should be taken that 

 the bark is not loosened in making the cut. 

 Place the stock and cion together and tie 

 securely, after which it should be thorough- 

 ly covered with wax. 



Saddle grafting is very similar to whip 

 grafting only in this case a V-shaped chan- 

 nel is made in the stock and the cion 

 trimmed on three sides to fit. I see no 

 advantage in this over the whip grafting, 

 and it is not so easily done. 



Budding is simpler than grafting, it differs 

 only in that no wood is taken — only the bud 

 in the centre of a shield of bark. Select 

 good strong buds which should be cut with 

 part of the adjoining bark adhering, and 

 after making a cross-shaped cut in the bark 

 of the plant to be used as the stock, loosen 

 the bark with a piece of wood rounded on 

 the end and made thin, or the end of a 

 budding knife. Pry open the flaps and 

 insert the bud. Now tie it securely. 

 I would advise the beginner to place a lit- 

 tle wax around the bud to exclude the air. 



If it were not for the time involved side 

 grafting would be more popular, I am sure. 

 This system makes a good union and if two 

 sides are grafted at one time it makes a good 

 practical job. For side grafting the cuts 

 are made V-shaped, deep at the top and 

 gradually tapering off to nothing at the 

 base. Fit the cions perfectly and tie and 

 wax securely. 



After all is made snug an extra precau- 

 tion that often pays is to cover the stock 

 with a heavy paper bag until the union is 

 formed. This keeps the sun and wind 

 from shrivelling the bark. 



Budding is shown in the left. First, bud tied in position. The separate bud with " shield " of bark is ready for inserting. The flaps of bark on the stock 



are turned back by the knife for inserting the bud. The bud should be very thin and have at least three fourths of the wood removed on its inner surface so 



that the inside of the bark on the bud lays against the woody part of the stock. In the centre, whip grafting, showing how the parts are tied together. On the 

 right, side grafting showing the shaping and fitting of the parts. Note the bud just above the graft. 



