GRAFTING WAX. 



71 



close-jointed wood, should always be cnosen. Where sci- 

 ons are to be sent to a distance, those of rather large size 

 and close joints should be selected, enveloped in a little 

 thin paper slightly dampened, and the whole covered 

 tightly with oiled silk. In this way, they will go a thou- 

 sand miles in perfect safety. The but and extremities of 

 scions should both be rejected. The tools required are, a 

 grafting-knife, saw, and chisel ; but, for whip-grafting, the 

 knife only is employed. Two kinds should be used, one 

 to prune and pare the stock, and the other to prepare the 

 graft. 



Grafting Wax. — A composition of very good quality is 

 made of four parts rosin, two of beeswax, and one of tal- 

 low. Melt it all together, turn it into cold water, and work 

 and pull it thoroughly until it turns whitish ; just as child- 

 ren do in making molasses candy. The stiffness of the 

 wax is increased or diminished by employing less or more 

 of tallow. In cold weather keep the composition in warm 

 water, and in warm, in cold water ; and, in putting it on, 

 the hands must be slightly greased, to keep it from stick- 

 ing to them. In applying it, be careful to cover the scion 

 on the sides and cleft in the stock, forming a cap over the 

 top, and pressed closely and tightly around the graft, so as 

 to cover every crack, and carefully to exclude the air and 

 water. Cloth, saturated in a composition made a little 

 softer by a greater addition of tallow and beeswax, is more 

 convenient than the wax itself. Take any thin, half-worn 

 calico or muslin, tear it into narrow strips, roll them 

 loosely into small balls, and soak them in the hot compo- 

 sition until every pore is jfilled. When wished for use, 

 it is unwound from the balls, and torn into smaller strips, 

 of the proper length and breadth required by the size of 

 the stock, and winding it two or three times around the 



