300 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 4,1396. 
be inserted readily with reasonable prospects of speedy union. The 
scions, of course, will be in quite a dormant condition, being cut from 
the trees some time ago and laid-in in moist soil to retard the pushing 
of the buds. There they should remain until wanted for the purpose of 
preparing for insertion. 
Preparing Grafting Clay .—Although prepared grafting wax is fre¬ 
quently used, a mixture of clay and manure is preferred by many. 
Obtain some good, strong, adhesive clay, freeing it of stones ; then beat 
it into fine particles and make it plastic with water. Keep it moist 
until grafting time, when add, or it may be introduced at once, equal 
parts of horse droppings and cow manure to two parts of clay, blending 
all well together. Kub the horse manure through a sieve, and take out 
any long straw which may be contained in fresh cow manure, which 
ought to be employed. 
Heading Down the Stocks. —Trees should be headed down at 
once to the point where grafts are to be inserted, especially where strong 
limbs have to be cut down. Select a position where the bark is smooth, 
and near the base or origin of branches. On large old trees four or five 
branches are enough to retain, selecting the best placed. The diameter 
of the branches is immaterial, as several grafts can be inserted on one, 
and when it is intended to replace inferior varieties of Apples or Pears 
by superior on old trees this is the best method, operating mainly by 
crown grafting, the cleft and notch process also being practised. 
Crown Grafting. —This is the most common form of renovating 
old trees, and is applicable wherever branches are over an inch in 
diameter. If the branches are shortened early in the season a further 
portion may be removed now, so that the working is carried out with 
fresh wood and bark. 
Preparing the Stocks .—With a very sharp knife make a clean slit in 
the bark, commencing from the top and extending downwards about 
2 inches. These slits should not be less than 2 inches apart, and must be 
made just prior to inserting the scions. 
Preparing the Scions .—Select well ripened wood of last season’s 
growth with plump dormant wood buds. The central part of shoots is 
usually the best. A portion with five or six buds may be selected. Cut 
the base level, then make a sloping cut to it corresponding in length to 
the slit in the stock. At the point where the cut commences make a 
transverse incision, thus forming a small shoulder by which the scion when 
in position will be seated on the stock, holding it there securely. Reduce 
the length of the scion to four buds, or less if at all weakly. 
Inserting the Scions .—The scions being in readiness, with a hard 
wedge-shaped strip of wood the same size and thickness as a scion, lift 
the bark carefully on each side of the cut in the stock. Withdraw and 
introduce the scion, pushing it gently into position until seated on the 
stock, when it can go no further. It is important that the inner bark or 
layer of alburnous matter meet exactly together, as it is at this point 
where the union takes place. On stocks of large diameter three scions 
may be affixed with advantage. 
Securing Stock and Scion .—Bast matting is the best material to wind 
round for holding the parts firmly together. This must be effected 
without binding too tightly. To each scion attach a stick to prevent 
possible loosening by wind. Apply the grafting clay over all apertures, 
and cover the top of the stock with a good coating, using a little fine 
sand on the hands when finishing off so that the clay can be left 
smoothly completed. Grafting wax is applied with a brush, merely 
covering all joinings to exclude air, which is essential in effecting a 
union. The ordinary clay covering when dry frequently cracks. Such 
openings must be closed as often as made until growth is so far advanced 
that the clay can be gradually dispensed with. 
Cleft Crafting-. —In this method it is necessary to split the stock 
down the centre with a chisel and mallet, holding the cleft thus made 
open with the chisel or a wedge. The scions are cut wedge-shaped and 
as long as the cleft is deep, about 2 or 3 inches. One may be inserted 
on each if the branch is of large diameter. When small, the top of 
the stock is cut sloping, and the scion inserted on the highest side, 
one only being used. More than two grafts cannot be employed on 
one branch with this method. They must be made to fit bark to 
bark along their entire length, so that the alburnous matter or inner 
vital tissue of both stock and scion approach each other exactly. 
Then by taking out the wedge in the centre the cleft closes tightly, 
holding the scions very firmly in position. The greatest disadvantage 
in this method is the aperture left in the middle of the stock, but this 
must be covered securely with grafting wax to exclude air and 
moisture, the outside joinings of stock and scion being treated likewise. 
Hotcli Grafting. —This is effected by cutting a triangular notch 
through the bark and into the wood, the same width as that of the 
scions to be used. The latter must be cut wedge-shaped down two sides 
and made to fit truly, binding securely in with matting, afterwards 
claying or waxing over all joinings. 
FRUIT FORCING, 
Peaches and iTectarlnes. —Earliest Forced Trees .—The very 
early varieties, such as Alexander, Waterloo, Early Beatrice, and Early 
Louise Peaches, Early Rivers and Advance Nectarines, will soon give 
indications of ripening, when syringing must cease, and the leaves that 
shade or overhang the fruit be drawn aside, raising any away from 
the light, by means of laths placed across the wires of the trellis, so that 
the apex will be brought directly to it. The ripening of the fruit of 
these varieties may be accelerated by maintaining a night temperature 
of 65° to 70°, 70° to 75° by day artificially, and 80° to 85° or 90° through 
the day from sun hea*-. In the case of such standard varieties as Hale's 
Early, Stirling Castle, and Royal George Peaches, Lord Napier, Blruge, 
and Goldoni Nectarines, the trees should be allowed time during the 
stoning process, maintaining the temperature at 60° to 65° at night, 
70° to 75° by day with sun heat, and about 65° by day in dull weather, 
carefully avoiding sudden fluctuations or depressions. Tie the shoots to 
the trellis as they advance, and regulate the growths for future bearing, 
so as not to have them too crowded, as by giving the growths ample 
room the fruit is more exposed to the sun and air, and the wood for 
another year stouter and better ripened. Basal shoots for next year’s 
bearing disposed to grow more than 14 or 15 inches may have the points 
pinched out, and the laterals and subsequent growths stopped to one 
leaf as made. These remarks do not apply to extensions, except as 
regards the laterals. When the stoning process is over, which may be 
ascertained by testing a few fruits with a knife, the fruit will require 
regulating for the swelling period. Very vigorous examples may be 
allowed to carry a few more than those that are weakly, but on no 
account unnecessarily tax the trees. Weakly trees should be supplied 
with nourishing food, such as top-dressings of phosphatic, potassic, and 
nitrogenic manure, washed in or in solution, not allowing the trees in 
any case to suffer for lack of moisture at the roots, and keeping the soil 
uniformly moist by a light mulch of partially decayed manure. This 
will secure conditions favourable to the swelling of the fruit to a good 
size, especially if the temperature be raised with corresponding moisture, 
as advised for the very early varieties. 
Trees Started at the New Tear .—As stoning has now commenced 
care must be taken to avoid sudden checks by injudicious ventilation, 
cold air in the daytime and too high a temperature at night. A night 
temperature of 60° to 65°, 5° less on cold nights, and 65° by day in dull 
weather, with 70° to 75° from sun heat, will be quite sufficient, and better 
for the trees and crop than a higher range of heat. Syringe the trees twice 
a day in favourable weather, so as to keep them free from red spider. 
Maintain a due moisture at the roots, but avoid stimulating food, as 
provocatives of growth do not favour stoning, yet weakly trees should 
have a nourishing dietary of superphosphate and muriate of potash, 
about three parts the former to one part of the latter, using 4 ozs. per 
square yard. This dressing may be applied at intervals of three or 
four, or four or six weeks, as the trees stand in need of nutriment. 
Trees Started Early in February .—The fruit has set and is swelling 
satisfactorily. Syringe the trees in the morning and afternoon, which 
will assist the fruit in swelling and casting off the remains of the 
flowers, and prevent attacks of red spider and aphides ; but avoid heavy 
syringings, and an occasional one in dull weather will be all that is 
needed until the foliage is more advanced. Allow a temperature at 
night of 55° or 60° in mild weather, ventilating from 65°, permitting an 
advance from sun heat to 70° or 75°, but with full ventilation. 
Disljudding .—This important operation must be done with care and 
judgment, commencing as soon as the shoots can be displaced with the 
finger, and following up day by day until only the growths required for 
future bearing, attracting the sap to the fruits or for furnishing the trees, 
are left. A shoot must be retained from the base of the growths now 
bearing, and another on a level with or above the fruit ; the latter not 
being required for extension should be stopped at the third good leaf 
and subsequent growths to one as made. In the case of trees extending 
it will be necessary to leave shoots about 15 inches apart along last year’s 
wood, calculating from the base on the upper or both sides of the growth 
as space permits, the terminals being trained in their full length, and 
the growths for forming the main branches being about 1 foot asunder. 
Avoid close training, as it results in weak overcrowded growth, not 
nearly so satisfactory as that fully exposed to light and air. Stop 
laterals on extensions to one leaf, and sub-laterals to a similar extent of 
growth. 
Thinning the Fruits .—When the size of horse beans, the fruit will 
swell or drop. The latter are not fertilised, and the others will have 
degrees of vigour, which must be utilised by removing the weakest 
first, commencing with the least vigorous parts of the trees, thinning 
proportionately less on strong than on weak wood, which will tend to 
the equalisation of the vigour of the tree. Regard must be had to the 
position of the fruits, leaving the most promising on the upper side of 
the growths for receiving most light and air, and the fruit ought not 
ultimately to be left closer than one to every square foot of trellis 
covered by the trees, but the smaller varieties and Nectarines may have 
one to every 9 inches square of trellis covered with growth. The first 
thinning should be effected when the fruit is fairly set and commencing 
to swell, the second when the size of marbles, when a few more only 
need be left than is required for the crop, looking over the trees again 
when the size of walnuts, then very few indeed over the intended crop 
should be left, though there must always be a margin for casualties, 
yet the less the trees are burdened during the stoning process the more 
likely is that to be satisfactoiily effected. 
Syringing .—This operation may be overdone, and some are worse 
than useless. It is overdone when the water hangs on the trees for a 
considerable time, often through the night, des’-roying their tissue and 
inducing a soft sappy growth. It is worse than useless when a squirt is 
given here and there, and so lightly as not to dislodge dust and vermin. 
Vigorous syringing means 'he forcible ejection of red spider and aphides- 
from every part of the trees without tearing the foliage into shreds or 
otherwise damaging it, and this should be done twice a day when the 
weather is bright, the alternoon syringing being done at closing time, 
always sufficiently early to allow the trees to become fairly dry before 
night. If the trees have water hanging from the edges of the leaves in 
the morning omit the afternoon syringing, which, however, will only be 
required for very vigorous trees. 
