August 1, 1904 
factorily in some situations, many persons 
hesitate to do anything with them, and. 
allow them to cumber the land for years 
without giving anadequate return. Should 
auch trees be in ‘a healthy condition, this 
state of affairs could be easily remedied by 
cutting the branches well back and. graft- 
ing scions of good. bearing kinds on them. 
Fig. G is a representation of a tree that 
had been subjected to the treatment sug- 
gested. 
XS 
G.—A Pyramidal Pear T'ree Regrafted.: 
In cutting wood. for scions the greatest 
care should be taken in selecting only 
those portions which are thoroughly ripen- 
ed and have the buds well formed. The 
“stocks, too, should be sound, vigorous, and. 
healthy. Unless these things are taken well 
into consideration it cannot be expected 
that a healthy union will take place. 
Healthy scions that are grafted on un- 
healthy stocks, or vice versa, will never 
give satisfaction, no matter what atten- 
‘tion 1s given to their cultivation. 
__ 
NOVELTIES OF GRAFTING. 
PICTURESQUE AS WELL AS 
PROFITABLE. 
Millions of dollars have been added to our 
horticultural interests by the graft which 
has incidentally given pleasure and satis- 
faction to thousands of those who live 
among their orchards and make them con- 
tribute to their support. Not more than, 
half a century ago the secrets of budding 
and grafting trees were considered so sacred 
that none but a professional gardener or 
scientist was supposed to possess and utilise 
them; but to-day our fruit orchards and 
THE ATSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
shade trees are budded and grafted with 
new varieties by the humblest of farmers 
and horticulturists. While the secrets are 
notonger in the possession. of the privileged 
few, their full value is appreciated by but ai 
limited number, and, consequently, the art 
or science receives only half the attention: 
it deserves. The graft furnishes us with: 
the key for horticultural novelties that 
should add improvements to every small 
suburban place, no matter if not more than: 
half a dozen trees can find a precarious live- 
lihood on it. |The pleasures derived from 
changing the nature and characteristics of 
the trees are no less of use than the de 
velopment of virtues of new varieties of 
fruits through systematic budding and: 
grafting. The ugly stump of an unproduc- 
tive tree can, in this way (writes a corres- 
pondent of the “New York Times’’) bei con- 
verted into a thrifty bearer of fruits; the 
semi-wild sapling with its thorns and tough 
fruits may be made to bloom as a garden 
with luscious varieties of pears, apples, or 
peaches, and the tree which yields sour, 
puckery fruits can be changed as if by 
magie into a producer of sweet and juicy 
cuops. 
The magic of the change can be used for 
ornamental effects as well as for utilitarian 
purposes. The pear tree which yields its 
single crop of Bartletts may be changed 
into a many-headed variety, yielding Jate 
and early pears, large and small, green’ an& 
blush fruits. The plum tree or cherry can, 
likewise be made to produce half a dozen 
varieties on as many limbs, and the apple 
and peach are susceptible to similar influ: 
ences. There are trees which: have been. 
grafted so that-their blossoms present a be- 
wildering variety of colors and shapes, and 
later of fruits. Placed near the front of a 
yard they serve as novelties which attract 
the attention of all visitors. Fruit trees 
of the same family can be grafted one upon 
another, the peach and plum showing their 
family relationship by working easily to- 
gether upon the same graft. The cherry 
belongs to the same family, and can also 
at times be grafted upon the plum. But 
the stone fruits will not cross with the 
seed fruit, such as pears or apples. All cit- 
rus fruits will cross with each other, and a 
wild orange tree can be made to yield 
simultaneously a crop of lemons, oranges, 
limes, and grape fruit. The effect of sucli 
a combination of fruits is strikingly novel 
and effective. 
The graft is easily worked, and the ama- 
teur will find great pleasure in manipulat- 
ing it in the orchard or front yard. ‘To 
accomplish results it is necessary to under- 
stand the art so well that with a little ex- 
perience any graft can be made to grow. 
The graft is any young branch of a tree 
which is thrifty and full of sap, and it is 
cut. off close down, to the main trunk or 
branch on’ which it is found growing. Jt 
should contain a number of good, healthy- 
looking buds on it, and it should be cut 
clean off with a sharp knife. A ragged 
cut makes a poor graft. The bark should 
not be punctured or injured by bruises. 
The end of a graft, or scion, as it is some- 
times called, should be eut to a sharp point 
oii ee RE Eee 
ee. 
like a wedge. This is to fit it in the trees 
or stock which. is prepared to receive M__ 
For stock any sturdy growing tree, pre— 
ferably young, but full of sap and strength, 
must be chosen. Cut off a limb about the. 
size of the scion or graft, split the end se 
that the wedge end of the scion will fi& 
snugly init. The two should be fitted to- 
gether so that the bark of each shall come 
close together. Then tie the split foric 
together with a strip of stout cloth, cover— 
ing the wound first with grafting wax, andi 
then binding the whole together with cloth. 
Splints should be placed Jengthwise of thee 
grafted limbs to keep the wind from blew~ 
‘ing them apart, The work of _graftinge 
has thus been completed, and all that ix 
required to make the two join tégether js. 
time and plenty ofsap. The work should 
be done in the spring or summer of the 
year, when the sap is in the trees, and the 
two edges will thus be completely joined 
together and the barks made one. 
or ornamental effects it is possible ta 
do considerably with the graft. A thrifty 
apple tree that produces Baldwins can be 
grafted so that it will yield in the fall half 
a dozen different kinds of apples—red, 
green, yellow, and blush varieties. Let the 
grafts be made on the limbs so that a beaw- 
tiful blending of the different colored fruits. 
can be obtained. If considered best the 
centre of the tree can be grafted with greem 
apples; then a row of yellow fruit can be 
clustered around it, and an edge of bright 
red apples grafted outside. 
Plum’ trees will yield one of the prettiest 
efiects. The tree may be of some comme 
native stock, producing each year a few- 
hard green plums that never ripes. 
Graft on this tree fine varieties of green- 
gages and the Japanese yellow amd re& 
plums. If carefully worked on the steck 
the effect is richer than a bouquet: of 
flowers. - The green, red, and. yellow fruit 
blend in a most striking manner with the 
leaves. | When the fruit is ripe there wilE 
be a rich variety that will tempt one te 
go from one branch to another to taste 
them. The Japanese, who have brought 
plum culture to the highest standard, graft 
their trees in this way, and their plum trees 
are really looked upon more as handsome 
landscape ornaments than as producers of 
profitable fruit. When oné sees a plum 
tree in Japan laden with bright red and 
yellow fruit, he can accept it as a fact that 
it is placed there as.an ornament. If the 
plums are to be eaten, the Jaipanese eat: 
them when they are green, and not aftey 
they have matured. To them, a soft plum 
is a spoiled plum—too ‘old to eat or to pre- 
serve. ; , 
Cherry trees offer the same opportunity 
for making horticultural effects through 
grafting. The red, white, and black cherriess 
growing on one tree make a sight sufficient 
to causa the mouth of any observer tae 
water. There may be half a dozen varie~ 
ties of cherries grafted on one tree.. The 
top branches may produce the rich. 
black mazzards.a circle of branches a little 
lower down may yield the white varieties, 
and helow these come the sour white cher— 
ries with pink cheeks. 
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