CLEFT GRAFTING 



367 



placed toward the center of the stock. Do not make the wedge 

 too long; from 1 to 2 inches is sufficient. Make it blunt at the 

 lower end, since if it is drawn to a fine point the bark may 

 loosen from it when inserted in the cleft. With experience, 

 two strokes of the knife will prepare the cion for insertion. 



{e) Inserting the Cions, 

 Press down on the handle of 

 the chisel to open the cleft, 

 and slip in the cion at the 

 outer edge in such a way that 

 the cambium or growing tis- 

 sue of the cion is in contact 

 with the cambium of the 

 stock. This area is just be- 

 neath the inner bark and, 

 since the bark on the stock 

 will be thicker than that of 

 the young cion^ it is best to 

 tilt the cion slightly outward 

 at the top to insure contact. 



Slip the cion downward 

 until the lower bud is close 

 to the cut surface of the 

 stock. Growth is more ac- 

 tive at the buds, and union 

 will take place sooner than if 



{Md. Exp. Sta.) 



Fig. 141. Too much of the original 

 . 1 1 , ii . . , top remains in this tree. The grafta 



there is no bud at this point, ^.jj ^^^^^^ ^^^j^ ^^^.^ 



growth will be weak. Compare with 

 Fig. 140. 



Since no growth may oc 

 cur except at the point of 

 junction of the cambium tis- 

 sues of cion and stock, it at once becomes evident why the inner 

 side of the wedge of the cion must be thinner than the outer side. 

 If the reverse were true the cambium areas would be held apart 

 and growth would be impossible The desirability of straight, 

 even cuts on the ion also becomes evident in order to put the 

 greatest possible areas of cambium in contact with each other. 



