72 



Pecan-Growing 



GRAFTING-WAXES 



The principal ingredients of grafting-Avaxes in common use 

 in this country are resin, beeswax, linseed oil, alcohol and tur- 

 pentine. The most popular of these are resin, beeswax 

 and tallow. The proportions in all the mix- 

 tures are varied according to the purpose for 

 which they are to be used and also for the 

 convenience of the propagator. 



The function of resin in the mixture is to 

 raise the melting point or to produce hardness 

 in the grafting-wax. The 

 beeswax gives toughness and 

 elasticity, and tallow or lin- 

 seed oil softness to the mix- 

 ture. Alcohol produces both 

 softness and adhesiveness. 



Grafting-wax to be used in 

 winter should contain a larger 

 proportion of tallow or linseed oil to make it 

 sufficiently soft to be applied easily. When 

 the wax is to be employed in summer, the 

 resin is increased to prevent its being melted 

 by the hot sunshine. The ratio of tallow or 

 linseed oil to the other ingredients in grafting- 

 wax, which is to be kept warm over a stove 

 or lantern and applied in a melted condition, 

 should be rather low. Paraffin, however, is 

 often used for this purpose instead of grafting wax. Paraffin 

 does not adhere to the buds or cions as well as some of the 

 grafting-wax mixtures; though it is less expensive and in 

 many instances serves the purpose equally as well. 



Figure 19. — 

 A tool used in 

 patch-budding. 



Figure 20. — 

 A tool used for 

 annular or ring- 

 budding. 



