T^VENTY-^•I^•TH fruit-growers' convention. 



137 



This brief account of bench-grafting shows us a method that seems 

 verv simple; yet how few people in California can say that they have 

 been successful with it? The reason for this is undoubtedly due to the 

 failure of observing the many little details which really make the method 

 a success or a failure. 



I would like to mention a few of those little practical points in the 

 method we have been using, before taking up some improvements along 

 new lines. Starting from the making of the cutting we should give 

 particular care to the following points: The cuttings should be chosen 

 with eyes close to one another; on the stock this will give good rooting 

 qualities, and on the scion it will allow generally two eyes. The time 

 at which the cuttings are made must be considered; the wood must not 

 remain on the vines in the spring until the sap starts to move; the cut- 

 tings must be buried completely in dry sand, in a cool room or cellar, 

 so that they will remain in the same condition as they were Avhen first 

 cut. When ready to start grafting, enough cuttings are taken out for a 

 couple of days' work; they are placed in running water or standing in 

 tubs where the water is changed frequently, and are thus allowed to 

 soak for a couple of days before being used. The wood thus prepared 

 absorbs a good deal of water and is much easier to handle, at the same 

 time enabling us to keep a better edge on pur grafting knife. The 

 importance of cutting the eyes on the stock before grafting is also too 

 often overlooked, and this means a large expense for suckering. 



But possibly the point where we find the most neglect is in the callus- 

 ing bed. The temperature of this bed must be kept as constant as 

 possible, so that the callus will l^e formed regularly and evenly, thus 

 giving us a good solid graft. The sand bed must be on a southern 

 exposure, protected by a wall on the north side; it must be well covered 

 at night and the temperature and moisture watched daily; in this way 

 only is the callusing of any advantage. If we simply leave the cuttings 

 in the callusing bed without any attention we might as well save that 

 work and plant direct in the nursery. 



But even if all of these points are observed, we feel satisfied if we get 

 fifty per cent good grafts. If we were sure of this percentage and took 

 care to have resistant cuttings at a reasonable figure, as they should be, 

 replanting on resistant stock would cost far less. But — there is a but— 

 we have not been able to figure on that fifty per cent; possibly one of 

 the great factors against us being the unreliability of the help we have 

 to use. 



It is in the improvements made in order to guarantee a better return 

 and a saving in the first cost that I want to call your attention to-day. 



One of our costly features in bench-grafting is the tying of the graft, 

 and after that its untying. If the material used does not rot quick 

 enough it has to be cut, and this is slow and careful work; if the 



