May, 1912.J 



419 



Edible Products. 



access of water. In the light of the ex- 

 periments conducted by the writer the 

 avocado may be budded at all seasons 

 of the year ; however, in large practice it 

 is best not to bud at the approach of the 

 dormant period for the reason that the 

 buds then sprout with more difficulty 

 than at other seasons, in the meantime 

 being in danger of becoming callused 

 over. 



For tying material, raffia, soft cotton 

 string, or grafting tape is used. The 

 writer has found grafting tape prefer- 

 able, as it prevents the drying up of 

 the bud before circulation ha9 been 

 established between scion and stock, and 

 excludes all extraneous moisture, which, 

 when other tying, material is used, 

 frequently enters the bud and de- 

 stroys it.* 



If the weather is warm and the stock 

 is in growing condition, the union will 



* A wax preferred by the write' - in graft- 

 ing or for making wax cloth is made of equal 

 weights of beeswax and rosin. Other recipes 

 are: rosin, 3 kilograms ; beeswax, 1 kilogram ; 

 linseed oil, 0'5 liter ; or : rosin, 2 kilograms ; 

 beeswax, 1 kilogram ; tallow, - 5 kilogram. 



The wax is prepared by placing the ingredients 

 in a suitable iron pot and melting them over a 

 slow fire. Liquid wax may be made by melting 

 1 kilogram of wax made according to the last 

 recipe mentioned, and adding - 75 liter of 

 alcohol ; mix thoroughly and keep in a tightly 

 corked bottle. 



The best material for grafting tape is cheap 

 cotton cloth that tears easily ; tear up the cloth 

 into strips 15 to 20 centimeters wide ; wind the 

 strip of cloth on stout iron wire until the roll is 

 not more than 4 centimeters in diameter ; if 

 thicker the wax will penetrate with difficulty 

 to the centre. To prevent the cloth from being 

 undone tie a string around each end of the roll. 

 The weight of the wire causes the rolls to sink 

 in the mixture while the cloth absorbs the wax ; 

 if sticks of wood are used on which to wind the 

 cloth the rolls should be weighted down. 

 Place the rolls in the melted wax which will 

 saturate the cloth in about fifteen minutes. 

 Do not place the rolls of cloth in the mix- 

 ture in a bailing state, or the cloth may be 

 burned. When ready to use unroll the cloth 

 and tear it into strips about 20 millimeters 

 wide, 



take place in two weeks, sometimes 

 even in a shorter period, and the buds 

 are then unwrapped to below the leaf 

 bud, and the top of the stock lopped 

 about 7 to 10 centimeters above the bud. 

 If, on examination, it is found that the 

 union has not yet been formed, replace 

 the wrapping for another week. It is 

 important that in a vigorous and rapidly 

 growing species like the avocado, the 

 unwrapping and lopping be attended 

 to as soon as there is a good union, 

 as otherwise the callus soon grows over 

 the bud and smothers it before sprout- 

 ing—one of the difficulties experienced 

 by amateur operators. In order to force 

 the bud to start, it is no less essential 

 that all adventitious sprouts be rubbed 

 off as soon as they make their ap- 

 pearance. 



After the bud has made a growth of 

 15 to 20 centimeters and ripened by its 

 wood the stock should be trimmed off 

 by a sharp knife immediately above the 

 bud. The cut should be covered with 

 grafting wax or paint to prevent the 

 entrance of fungi which, if this is not 

 attended to, frequently enter the wound 

 and destroy the bud. The fungi not 

 frequently enter the stock, through the 

 wound that is made at the point of 

 lopping the stock, working downward 

 until they destroy the bud ; they are 

 recognized by the brownish appearance 

 of the bark and wood. The only means 

 by which a budded plant attacked in 

 this way may be saved is by trimming 

 off the stock to the bud and covering 

 the cut with grafting wax, linseed or 

 paint, 



After being trimmed the plant is left 

 in the pot until the wound is healed) 

 when it is ready for planting in the 

 field. If the pot-grown plants have 

 been given good attention and budded 

 at the proper time, the majority should 

 be ready for the field a year from plant- 

 ing the seed — the more precocious even 

 earlier. In a well-conducted nursery all 

 stocks should be budded before they 

 are six months old. 



Where the plants are transferred to 

 boxes before planting out this, should. 



