almost sure to be the second, and thus the whole tree would be lost. Not more than one-third should be grafted at a time, and thus its vitality will be preserved.

After the scions begin to grow, water-shoots are often thrown out from the stock, which, if not removed, will exhaust the nutriment necessary for the growth of the grafts. If the scion grows strongly, it may need some support to protect it, while green and soft, from breaking by the action of the wind. In that case a stick tied to the stock, to which the scion is caught, will be a preventive.

Scions of the apple, pear, peach, and plum are better and more certain of freedom from injury in winter, if they are cut in the month of December, preceding the grafting of the next spring. They should be rolled in a damp cloth during the winter, being tied previously in bundles of from twenty-five to fifty, and the ends, which are cut, plunged into melted grafting-wax. Thus they will be preserved bright and fresh until the spring.

Grafting-wax is made of one part tallow, one part beeswax, and two parts resin. The tallow and beeswax should be melted first, then the resin, and the whole poured together and well stirred. Care must be taken that no fire be near, as the composition is highly combustible. After it is well mixed it is poured in small quantities into a tub of cold water, and worked like molasses candy. No more should

be poured into the water at a time than can be worked at once, as it will cool very quickly and require to be melted again. This wax is greatly superior to any other within the knowledge of the author.

For some of the smaller grafts it is often better to use waxed paper. For this purpose strips of paper are floated in the melted wax for a moment, so as only to moisten one side, and then permitted to cool.

When the wax is applied, it should be carried in a pot of hot water, and the hands of the operator should be smeared with some oily substance. Below is a figure of a pot which is often used for this purpose.

(a) represents the pot containing the hot water in which is the wax.

hands as the wax is used. The pot for the water can be taken out, and should, of course, be provided with a cover.

с

Fig. 1.

a

THE METHODS OF GRAFTING.

1. The cleft graft. This is the most common method of grafting old trees. It consists in sawing off the limb at the point where it is desirable to insert the scions. It is then smoothed with the knife. A clean cleft is made with a sharp knife and a mallet. The scion is cut. If the wood is of good growth, one containing two or three buds is enough. The scion is next pared down in the form of a wedge, one eye being on the part forming the wedge, as at (a) in the cut No. 2, which, when inserted, is placed outside, as in (b) of figure 1. The outer side of the wedge is left wider than the inside, as the grasp is then firmer. In setting the scion, no regard should be

Fig. 2.

paid to having the outer surface of the bark of the scion and the stock even; for as the latter is much older and thicker than the former, such a proceeding would prevent the junction of the inner bark, through which the sap flows in its downward course, and by means of which the two are joined. Great care should therefore be used to have the inner bark of both meet. A peg should be used to keep the cleft open while the scions are

being inserted, after which it should be withdrawn. The wax, having been formed into a thin plate in the fingers, is first placed upon the top of the stump, pressed firmly without moving the scions, and then brought over the sides to the dotted lines in figure 1, except when the clefts are made, and it is carried down so as to cover the whole, save the eye at (b). Thus the air will be entirely excluded.

It is not desirable in the end that both the scions should remain, as a crotch would be formed which would be liable to split in after years. Therefore, after the second year the scion should be selected which has thrown out the strongest shoot, and a cut should be made to it. This should be waxed thoroughly, and the wound will soon heal completely over, and care for itself. The inquiry may be suggested to the reader, Why not cut the other scion off at the top of the stump, as well as to cut in a slanting direction? The reason is, that the remaining scion will heal over a slanting cut much quicker than one that is square; and if it is merely cut off, that part is very apt to become diseased before it is calloused over. In some cases, when the limb which comes from the eye (b) is desirable, it may be done; but it should be avoided if possible. The benefit of putting in two scions at first is, that the chance of success is greater, and that the balance with the roots is kept more even. Sometimes, however, a single scion is used, when is formed what the French call—

372

THE BERTEMBOISE AND D'ALBRET.

2. Greffe à un seul rameau, dont une partie du sujet est coupeé en biseau, or Bertemboise.

a

3. The crown graft. After the limb has been sawed off at the proper point, and the wound smoothed with the knife, one, two, or three slits are made in the bark (as at a), according to the number of scions which are to be inserted, and the bark slightly raised on each side of it. The scion is then carefully cut thin upon the inside, and is slid down between the bark and the wood, the side which is cut being toward the wood.

4. D'Albret, or tubular budding with dormant eyes. This is similar to that performed with pushed eyes, to be de

scribed hereafter, except that the latter is done in August, when the sap is running, and upon those species of trees whose bark will not rise in the spring. This is done exclusively upon the young wood. The top is not cut off, as when grafting with pushed eyes, but the bark having been taken from the part to be grafted, the tube of bark to be put on is cut longitudinally, so that it will go on easily. The benefit in leaving the top on is that the new bark will partake of the growth of the shoot during the summer, and become united much better.