HOUSE AND GARDEN 
212 
October, 1912 
Now split down the center of the 
stub about two inches with a grafting 
knife or tool. Hold the parts apart 
and insert the scion, release and the 
pressure will hold it firmly in place. 
The scions should be gathered from 
bearing trees of the desired variety 
that are known to produce satisfactory 
fruit. They should be of well ma¬ 
tured wood of the previous season’s 
growth, and each scion should contain 
three or four well formed buds and 
be from four to six inches long. 
These scions should be trimmed at 
the base with a sloping cut and more 
slightly on the side intended for the 
inner edge. Two of these scions are 
placed in each stub on the opposite 
sides. It is highly important that the 
growing layer of 
wood of the scion 
be placed in contact 
with the growing 
layer of the stub 
so that a union will 
be effected and the 
wounds heal 
promptly. 
Grafting wax 
should be applied 
to all cut surfaces 
to exclude infec¬ 
tion and prevent 
decay. The wax 
may be applied di¬ 
rect or waxed tape 
may be used. 
Grafting wax can 
often be purchased 
or can be made by 
melting together 
one pound of tal¬ 
low, two pounds of 
beeswax and four 
pounds of rosin. 
The wax is poured 
into cold water to 
cool and then pulled like 
taffy. 
In pruning, all fresh cuts 
an inch in diameter or over 
should be sterilized or painted 
to prevent decay. The prun¬ 
ing and sawing should be 
done with clean sharp tools. 
All limbs should be cut close 
and smoothly at their junc¬ 
tions so that the wound may 
heal completely over. A 
stub left usually results in de¬ 
cay that reaches the heart 
wood and weakens the <ree. 
Many old trees require a 
little surgery. All decayed 
cavities should be cleaned and 
sprayed and if filled with con¬ 
crete will greatly strengthen 
the tree. This work if done carefully 
will often save a tree that would 
otherwise be doomed to fall in a short 
time. 
The time for pruning and top¬ 
grafting is usually in early spring 
just before the buds swell. At this 
time there are usually days of fine 
mild weather when such out-of-door 
work can be done conveniently. How¬ 
ever, fall and winter are often used 
for pruning. 
The old orchard has doubtless been 
used as a pasture for many years. 
Naturally this with the growth of the 
trees has robbed the soil of most of 
its original fertility. The animals 
tramping the ground when wet have 
reduced it to almost a brick-like con¬ 
dition. No wonder 
the leaves turn yel¬ 
low and the fruit 
•falls prematurely. 
You must feed and 
treat your orchard 
just as you would 
your wheat or corn 
if you are to expect 
crops. 
To bring the old 
orchard back into 
fertility and good 
mechanical condi¬ 
tion of the soil, 
either one or the 
combination of two 
methods may be 
used — cultivating 
or sod mulch sys¬ 
tem. If your trees 
do not shade the 
ground too greatly 
and the roots do 
not prevent plow¬ 
ing you may plow 
and cultivate just 
as you would a 
cornfield. In the early fall 
sow a cover crop, such as soy 
beans, clover, rye, etc., to plow 
under the following spring 
and thus add plant food and 
loosen up the ground. 
If your orchard is on hilly 
land or in soil that washes 
easily, the mulch system is 
advisable or necessary and the 
results will be just as satis¬ 
factory as by cultivating. 
By this method you keep 
your orchard in sod and un¬ 
der as well as around each 
tree maintain a heavy mulch 
of some coarse vegetable mat¬ 
ter, such as manure, straw, 
corn stover and the grass and 
( Continued on page 245) 
One stick of dynamite will break up the sub-soil about 
a tree, prevent fungus growth and check insects 
Gnarled, twisted trees may be picturesque 
but of little utility 
Even old specimens under proper treatment 
can produce such yields as this 
Picking and sorting in the home orchard is as important as in the com¬ 
mercial one. Proper care will make your supply last twice as long 
