4 Grafting Fruit Trees. [april, 



stock fit together, and the bark of the former would be thinner 

 than that of the latter. It is between these two inner barks that 

 the union or junction is formed, the outer barks having practically 

 nothing to do with it. The tongues in both must then be fitted 

 together as shown and tied securely with bast or raffia and 

 waxed over. Sometimes another small tongue is made in the 

 stock at the bottom of the cut and the end of the graft tucked 

 under it, as shown in Fig. I, second branch from the left. 



Saddle Grafting. — There are various ways of saddle grafting. 

 The first (Fig. 2) may be used on stocks about three-quarters of 



Fig. 2.— Saddle Grafting. 



an inch in diameter. This stock is made to an acute wedge shape 

 by cutting off a slice on each side. Another cut on each side is 

 made through the bark and a thin slice of wood. The graft is 

 cut saddle shaped as shown by making a cut on each side of the 

 the same length— about \\ to 2 in. Both cuts are rather thin till 

 they reach the upper end opposite to a bud, then the knife slips 

 in, and, when the second cut is made the bit of wood .drops out. 

 Place the graft in position across the wedged end of the stock, 

 allowing the ends to go underneath the bark ; then tie in and 

 wax. In the illustration the tying is not finished or the cuts 

 would have been hidden. Grafts made in this way take very well 

 and soon grow over the stocks. 



