‘P* RURAL NKW-YORKLR 
933 
An Improved Method of Bridge Grafting, 
W IDESPREAD DAM ACE.—One of our daily 
papers published recently a graphic description 
uf the damage done to fruit trees in Dutchess Co., 
N. Y., by rabbits, estimating the loss in that section 
alone at $100,000. It was indeed a tragic account, 
and would have been more so had there been any 
truth in the writer’s concluding statement that 
“there is no way known of saving a girdled tree.” 
As the returns come in from the various fruit belts, 
testimony accumulates as to the extent of the harm 
done by the ravages of mice and rabbits during the 
past severe Winter. But, as readers of the agricul¬ 
tural press well know, trees even completely girdled 
are by no means beyond repair. I wish that the 
above mentioned “special correspondent” might have 
been present at a demonstration of bridge-grafting 
recently given by Mr. Andrew G. Lee of Cornwall, 
under the auspices of the Orange County Farm Bu¬ 
reau. Bridge-grafting is no new idea, but there were 
some unique features in this case, and Mr. Lee 
showed some original and improved methods of pro¬ 
cedure. 
AY INTERESTING DEMONSTRATION. --The 
orchard where this demonstration was held is locat¬ 
ed in the town of Cornwall, and two years ago nearly 
all of its 200 trees, some 20 year’s old, were girdled 
by mice, and restored by Mr. Lee’s skilful work. 
Trees S in. in diameter, completely girdled, but 
bridged by four scions inserted above and below the 
seat of injury, bore a full crop of apples the same 
year. Last Winter these same trees suffered again, 
and even more severely, the scions being entirely de¬ 
nuded. and large sections of the original bark gnawed 
off, in some eases well into the roots. Air. L. D. 
Greene, the Farm Bureau Manager, took some excel¬ 
lent ](holographs, some of which are here produced. 
Figs. 259, 200 and 201 give an idea of the state of 
the orchard before the work of restoration was be¬ 
gun. The success of all grafting depends upon estab¬ 
lishing such close contact between the cambium layer 
of the scion and that of the body of the tree that the 
s:, l' con flow continuously through them. 
CUTTING THE SCIONS.—Scions should be of 
one year’s growth, cut while still dormant. They 
can be kept in wet sand or sawdust in a cool cellar 
until wanted. That will be when the sap begins to 
rise in the tree and the bark peels readily. From 
that time on, if the scions can be held dormant, the 
work may be carried over a period of several weeks, 
with good prospect of success. When the time comes 
to insert them, the scions should be cut* an inch 
longer than the space to be bridged, and the rough 
edges of the wound should be smoothly trimmed. 
With a sharp blade, Air. Lee cuts a long bevel at each 
end of the scion, both on the same side, as shown in 
Fig. 202. Then he makes two vertical slits in the 
bark of the tree, loosening and lifting a flap between 
them long enough and wide enough to cover the 
oeveled surface (Fig. 263), which is slipped under it. 
cut side up. bringing its whole face in contact with 
:iio cambium layer of the flap {Fig. 204). This is a 
direct reversal of the usual method, and obviates the 
necessity for the careful fitting together of cut 
edges, as the cambium layers cannot fail to meet. 
Naturally,*also, it can be done in less than half tip? 
rime; and with much greater certainty. 
FINISHING THE JOB.—An inch-long large- 
headed finishing nail, No. IS, is then driven through 
hark .-fiul scion, fixing them tiriuly iu tiie wood (Fig. 
for>). The process is repeated at the other end, and 
the seats of union thickly covered with grafting 
wax. Fig. 200 shows the finished job. The cut 
edges should be exposed to the air for the least pos¬ 
sible time, as they dry out rapidly. For this reason 
Air. Lee thinks it better to apply the wax to each scion 
as inserted, instead of waiting till all are in place. 
He considers that four to a tree are as good or even 
better than a larger number. After they are all set 
the final treatment is to cover the entire wound 
with grafting wax. with special care to see that no 
edges are left exposed. For this purpose the wax 
may, if preferred, l>e melted again and reduced with 
linseed oil to such consistency that it may be applied 
with a brush. The formula used was 4 lbs. resin, 
3 lbs. beeswax. 2 lbs. beef tallow. The resin should' 
he crushed and melted, the beeswax cut small and 
added, and finally the tallow. This is best prepared 
by cutting the suet fine and boiling it in a bag, so 
that when cool it will be clean and free from fibres. 
The?* three ingredients melted together are poured, 
into cold water, and when the resulting mass is cool 
enough to be handled, it is taken out and worked 
like molasses candy until it becomes fine grained 
and light colored. For convenience in handling it 
may be made into small rolls, wrapped separately 
in oiled paper. If the heat of the hands is not suffi¬ 
cient to soften it when required for use it may he 
carried in warm water. The chief recommendation 
of Air. Lee’s method of bridge-grafting is that it 
works. Given a sharp knife, dormant scions .and 
care to be sure that the waxing is air-tight, and 
tHe veriest amateur may reasonably hope for 100 
per cent success. c. w. shaw. 
o 
How Grant Hitching Protects His Trees 
I notiei^H^r Air. [Etchings’ orchard canie through 
the Winte^^mhout damage from mice. What did lie 
use as poison, and how did he place it so as not to 
endanger other animals or birds? We have been hard 
hit in this section. I visited one orchard of four-year- 
okl tret's, 320 of which will have to be cut off. Our own 
orchard of SO acres came through without any great deal 
of damage, say 25 trees will have to he grafted. Alost 
of our trees were protected by wire, but in some places 
the snow was so deep that vermin worked above the 
wires. I thought after the snow melted our trouble 
was over, but strange to say the mice worked harder 
than ever and we had to dig around trees to get them 
out, getting as high as live mice from under the roots 
of some trees. F. H. 
AA T ayne Co., N. Y. 
N guarding against mice injury we protect the 
tree when first planted with galvanized wire 
cloth, three strands to inch, cutting the cloth so the 
protectors will be two feet high and one foot in 
width. We also, in November, look through the 
orchard for sigus of mice. If present we take old 
boards, says one foot wide and two or three feet 
long, and place where signs of mice are seen. Under 
these boards is an ideal biding place for mice, and 
there is the place to put your poisoned corn. No 
chicks or birds will find it! or rain wash 
