tings planted in the ground, hence they are propagated by other methods, grafting and budding being the most common.

process of grafting consists in the insertion of a cion of one variety or specie into or upon the stem or branch of another, which is called the stock. Cions are generally made from shoots of the previous year's growth, but sometimes those bearing fruit buds are used for experiment. They should be cut in the autumn, after the fall of the leaves, and carefully preserved through the winter by burying them in a pit in dry, sandy soil, with earth so piled over them as to turn water; or they may be kept in a cool, dry cellar, packed in sawdust, or some other material, to prevent shrinking of the bark. If kept too moist they will decay; if too warm the butts will callous over, which will weaken their vitality, and renders cherries and plums worthless. A moderate sized shoot, or cion, if well matured, is better than one that is large, pithy and unripe. Only perfect cions should be used, or incipient disease is started that no after treatment can eradicate.

Two methods of grafting that are most generally practiced, are, viz: whip grafting and cleft grafting. Whip grafting is the method mostly practiced in root grafting in nurseries. For this

purpose seedling stocks one or two years old are generally used of one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch in diameter. These seedlings are better for being dug in the fall and buried in the

cellar, or a dry bank outside, where they can be got at early in the spring.

The graft should always be made at the collar, and therefore the stems of the plant are cut away at that point when they are dug. When ready for grafting, first.trim back the small top roots and cumbrous latterals, leaving the stocks six to eight inches long and wash them clean. (Our western nurserymen are accused of using shorter stocks and making two or more from each seedling root, a practice which has, I think, many objections.) The grafter then makes a smooth, sloping upward cut an inch long on the collar of the root (A Fig. 1), and in the center of this cut he makes a downward slit, or tongue (B Fig. 1). The cion, which should be three or four inches long, is cut on the lower end with a sloping, downward cut (A Fig. 2), and similar in every respect to that made on the stock; an upward slit or tongue is made in it (B Fig. 2) corresponding also with that on the stock, and they are then fitted together-the tongue of the one within the other (A Fig. 3)—and the inner barks of both placed in close and perfect contact, at least on one side. The fits should be so complete as to set close and firm at all points.

The next operation is to apply the wax, which is usually done by winding firmly with waxed thread or narrow strips of waxed cloth. I do not use wax on root grafts, but wind them with fine carpet yarn, and find it better than the old way.

Whip grafting on small trees standing in the open ground, and on the small branches of larger trees, is performed in precisely the same manner, but greater care must be exercised in waxing them, to protect from air and water.

The grafting of nursery stock is usually done in the latter part of the winter, and the grafted plants are put away as closely as they can be packed in small boxes, with sandy earth or sawdust among the roots, and deposited in a cold cellar, but where frost cannot penetrate, until planting time.

Cleft grafting is practiced on trees or branches too large for whip grafting, say from three-fourths of an inch upward. In this case the base of the cion is cut precisely in the form of a wedge (A Fig. 4.). The part for insertion in the stock should be about an inch or an inch and a half long with a bud (A. Fig. 4) at the shoulder, where it is to rest on the stock. The bud hastens the union of the parts in the same way as a bud at the base of a cutting set in the earth hastens and facilitates the formation of

roots. The outer edge should also be somewhat thicker than the inner.

For grafting in the trunk of the tree it is cut or sawed off horizontally, and if the stock is not too large, a sloping upward cut is made upon one side, about an inch long, and to the center (A Fig. 5). The stock is split just one side of the pith (B Fig. 5) by laying a knife or chisel on the horizontal surface and striking lightly with a mallet; the split is kept open with the knife or chisel until the cion is inserted, with the thick side out (A Fig. 6).

Large stocks or branches are sawed off in the same manner (A and B Fig. 7); the surface is then pared smooth with a knife, a split is made with a chisel nearly in the center and held open with a wedge until the wedge-like cions (A Fig. 4) are inserted (AB Fig. 8.) If they both grow and are afterward too close,

A...

B

Fig 8

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

one of them can be cut away. The points to be observed for successful grafting are: Sharp instruments, which will make smooth, clean cuts; perfect contact of the inner barks of stock and cion, and covering the whole cut surface and every portion of the split with wax, to exclude air and water. Where convenient the wax may be put on while melted with a brush, or it may be put on with the hands.

The implements required in whip grafting are: A pruning knife, to trim up the roots, and a thin, sharp knife for shaping the ends and cutting the tongue in cion and stock. For cleft grafting, in addition to above, a sharp, fine saw and grafting chisel with wedge attached, and for large trees, a step-ladder.

Grafting composition is prepared in various ways. We gener

ally use two parts of resin, one ounce beeswax, one ounce of tallow, melted together, poured into water to cool, and when cool enough worked with the hand, well greased to prevent sticking. If the weather is so cold when used that it will not spread, it may be brought to the right consistency by keeping it in a bucket of warm water.

PROPAGATION BY BUDDING.

Among the various methods of propagating varieties of fruits, no one is more simple or easily performed than budding. The operation is performed during the growing season, and usually upon trees having smooth, soft bark, and from one to five or six years old, but may be successfully performed upon trees of any age that are thrifty. For older trees grafting is a preferable method.

The operation consists in separating a bud with a portion of bark attached (see figure 9) from a shoot of the current season's growth, and inserting it below the bark of another tree or shoot and tying it in place with a string of baste matting, cotton or wool. When the bud begins to grow all that part of the tree or branch above the bud is cut away, so from the budded point up the tree will produce the same variety of fruit as that from which the bud was taken.

The season for budding in this region is between the middle of July and the first of September, the time depending upon the species and conditions of growth. Any variety that completes its growth early in the season, should be worked early, and such as continue to grow late in the autumn may be worked much later. Buds may be inserted in June (or as early as the bark will part freely from the wood), by taking the bud from cions cut the previous fall and kept dormant, but fresh while they are to be used; they will make considerable growth the same season, but this is hardly desirable except with varieties that are scarce. In my practice I have found them inclined to continue their growth later into the autumn and thus they do not get ripened up as well for enduring the following winter. When done in the proper season, the buds remain dormant until the following spring.

To make budding a perfect success, certain conditions have become necessary. First, the buds must be perfectly developed in the axils of the leaves upon the young shoots intended to bud

from; this is not usually the case until the first growth of the season is accomplished and the shoot has temporarily ceased to lengthen, as indicated by the perfect formation of the terminal buds. Second, the bark must rise freely from the stocks to be budded. This it will do only when the trees are in a thrifty, growing state; never after the growth of the season is completed.

Where buds are wanted before this condition of maturity, we sometimes hasten it by pinching back the tips of the shoots, and after a few days the buds will be fit for working.

TO PREPARE THE BUDS.

Shoots in the condition described and of the variety desired are removed from the tree at a point below the lowest plump bud; the leaves are then cut away, leaving a half or more of

each leaf stalk to handle the bud by. Then the shoot to bud from is taken in one hand and the knife in the other, the lower part of the edge of the knife is placed on the shoot half an inch above the bud to be removed; the thumb of the knife-hand resting on the shoot below the bud, a drawing cut is then made parallel with the shoot, removing the bud and the bark to which it is attached half an inch above the bud and three-quarters below it. The cut is made just deep enough below the bark to take a small portion of the wood with it, and if this adheres firmly it should be allowed to remain; if it parts freely it should be taken out, but in doing so the root of the bud should be carefully preserved, for if it comes out the bud is useless.