TWEXTY-XINTH FRUIT-GROWEES' CONVENTION. 



141 



the boxes acts not only through the moisture it gives, but also through 

 the strong aeration that takes place in the box. 



When the callus is well formed, the roots are generally fairly long 

 and the bench-grafts are ready to plant. If the light in the hothouse 

 has been diffused, as is generally the case, the new growth of the scions 

 is yellowish and looks weak, and therefore could not stand a direct 

 transplanting in the nursery; the boxes on that account are placed 

 for a few days in a glass house where they can get plenty of light, so 

 that the tissues can harden and get used to the change of temperature. 

 The temperature of the glass house is generally from bd^ to 77", and 

 the boxes should remain therein about a week. 



We may thus calculate that it takes about three weeks between the 

 grafting and the planting in the nursery. 



It is good to give the boxes another bath when they come out of the 

 glass house, and before planting in the nursery. This bath may be at 

 about 68° F. 



This method of handling the bench-grafts makes the work more ra2:)id; 

 it does away with the tying of the grafts, and is carried on without 

 much danger of loss through breakage. It enables the saving of time 

 if the weather is not favorable to good callusing out of doors, and 

 permits grafting until late in the season, as the grafts are forced in 

 three weeks. It gives a callus that is perfect in its formation; therefore, 

 the grafts will be strong and will not blow down at the first wind. 



The grafts after being unearthed do not need to be earthed up again, 

 so that there is little trouble about roots on the scions. 



Only fair-sized wood {i inch or over) should be used in making 

 warm-room grafts, as it allows a better circulation of air in the boxes. 

 This will leave us a lot of small cuttings; but a very good way to utilize 

 these, and one that pays, is to plant them out and let them root, and 

 then the following year use them to bench-graft in the hothouse after 

 cutting the roots off quite close. Such rooted cuttings give a very high 

 percentage of good grafts. 



As I said before, a temperature of 86° (with an allowance of 9° more 

 or less) has been found to be the most favorable for the hot-room. 

 Below this the callusing is too slow; the grafts have to stay too long in 

 the boxes and are apt to decay. Above that temperature the callus is 

 too soft, and it takes too much care to get them used to the change of 

 temperature at the time of planting. 



Before the bench-grafts are planted in the nursery they should be care- 

 fully examined and assorted; the weak grafts should be set aside and 

 planted together; the strong grafts should also be planted by themselves. 

 The poor bench-grafts should be discarded. This helps us in the care of 

 the nursery, an uneven stand in the checks being always an objection. 



The usual care should be given in planting and cultivating the 



