PROPAGATION OF TREES. 



49 



wax is the principal ; in some instances it is the only 

 thing used, as on small orange trees and those plants 

 that are cleft-grafted, and united in a moist heat. 

 It is used by melting and putting it thinly over the 

 wound with a brush, or even the finger. A very 

 good composition is made by mixing a portion of 

 bees-wax, pitch and glue, with a little hog's lard, and 

 well boiling it together in an earthen pipkin. When 

 used, it is laid in with a brush hot, but not so as to 

 scald the bark. 



In the act of grafting, fix on a clean part of the 

 stock or branch to be worked, sawing off the 

 branch in a clean manner, then paring the w T ound 

 with a sharp knife, being careful not to bruise the 

 outer bark : this done, prepare to make a cleft by 

 placing a straight stiff bladed knife directly across 

 the centre of the cut, and with a mallet or other tool 

 cleave the crown two or three inches. Having 

 made the cleft, open it by driving down the centre 

 a narrow wedge of iron far enough to open the sides 

 sufficient to receive the grafts, which are prepared by 

 cutting them in lengths about six and eight inches 

 long — cutting the bottom ends downwards, on each 

 side, in the form of a wedge, and so that it fits neatly 

 in the cleft, into which it is to be gently pressed 

 downwards, being careful that the barks of the graft 

 and the stock precisely meet. The cleft part is 

 now to be covered in such a manner that neither sun 

 nor air can have access to the parts of the graft and 

 stock to prevent their speedily uniting. The clay 

 is put on with the hands and closely united to the 

 bark by pressure. When neatly done, it should 

 have the appearance of an egg, and should let off the 

 water freely that may settle on it. 



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