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TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



material used rots too quickly our grafts are apt to be displaced and 

 therefore lost. If raffia is used and it is dipped in bluestone solution 

 and not carefully washed in running water, the callus is apt to be 

 harmed by the copper. So it is no wonder that the vineyardist has 

 tried to do away with the tying. 



If we do not tie, the handling of the graft by our usual method 

 becomes quite delicate; and really the callusing in sand is objection- 

 able, as we are apt to lose many grafts in passing from the callusing 

 bed to the nursery. But if we plant an untied, newly-made graft direct 

 in the nursery, we are apt to lose many during the planting. 



An attempt was then made, with the aid of moss, to pack the untied 

 grafts in boxes until the callus was formed, the grafts and the moss 

 being taken out of the boxes in the nursery with one handling, and the 

 moss allowing of better handling than the sand. Since the first trial of 

 this method many improvements have taken place. The moss is mixed 

 with charcoal, which absorbs the excess of moisture and prevents the 

 formation of molds. The moss has been replaced to great advantage 

 by sawdust, especially for the packing of the sides of the boxes. 



The boxes used are generally 3 feet long and 18 inches wide; the 

 depth depends on the length of the cuttings and scions used. Allowing 

 4 inches for the bottom packing, 12-inch cuttings, 4-inch scions, 2 inches 

 for the top covering, and a 2-inch edge, we have a depth of 24 inches. 

 This size of box (36 by 18 by 24 inches) has proved to be quite handy 

 to handle; a larger one is too heavy and the temperature inside can 

 not be kept even. 



In the bottom of the box three or four rows of holes are bored, so that if 

 dipped in a bath the water can run in and out easily. Inside of the 

 box, on the upper side and two inches from the top, a line is drawn to 

 help in placing the grafts evenly. 



The dry moss is kept in storage until needed; it is then dipped in 

 water and placed on trays to drip; after which it is spread in a layer, 

 and coarsely-crushed charcoal sprinkled on it; then another layer of 

 moss and another of charcoal are made, and so on; when ail is thus 

 prepared it is worked up with a pitchfork, so as to get a homogeneous 

 mass. Moss is used for the bottom and for the sides of the box. To 

 cover the tops of the scions the moss is first chopped up before being 

 mixed with the charcoal; the proportion of one of charcoal to three of 

 moss, by volume, has been found to give the best results. The volume 

 of the moss is estimated after it has dripped on the trays. 



When ready to start the packing of the grafts, the box is placed on its 

 small end, the sliding or hinged side being on the top. Two inches of 

 unchopped, prepared moss are laid on the lower side; the grafted cut- 

 tings are then laid flat on this moss, close to one another, two inches of 

 moss being placed on the sides as the pile is made. This packing of 



