OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Grafting or budding is not a difficult art to learn. The best 

 way is to get a practical lesson, and then, before attempting any- 

 thing with growing stocks, practice the various cuts and fittings 

 with different sized pieces of wood. 



To be successful in actual grafting the stocks must be in just 

 the right condition, i.e., with the sap flowing freely, the grafts 

 nicely fresh and not shrivelled, and all cuts made very clean 

 and fitting together exactly. It can easily be ascertained if the 

 sap is right in the stock by cutting the latter off some little 

 distance above where the grafting is to be done, making a slit 

 in the bark and seeing if it parts freely from the wood. If this 

 is not the case the grafts would not be likely to " take " and the 

 operation must be postponed. To have the grafts fresh they 

 should be left on the trees until there is a possibility of the buds 

 beginning to burst. After cutting, tie neatly in bundles with 

 the ends level, carefully label with name showing, and stand 

 them in deepish drills in a shaded border, with soil made firm 

 round the ends. They can also be kept fresh for some time by 

 standing in a 'couple of inches of water in a dish in a cool 

 room. To make the cuts clean a very sharp knife must be used, 

 as the smoother the cuts the more quickly they heal. 



The time for grafting various fruits depends very much on 

 the earliness or otherwise of the season. With stone fruits we 

 can sometimes commence in late March and early April, pears 

 about the same time, and apples from the middle of April till 

 the second week in May. 



Preparation of Stocks. — It is generally better to purchase 



Vol. XII. No, i. 



APRIL, 1905. 



[NEW SERIES.] 



GRAFTING FRUIT TREES. 



B 



