Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-02-08
agricultural.
FRUIT CULTURE. No. 6.
Grating.


The various methods OF propagatlng fruit
as By grating, budding, seed, layers and
cuttings, are so familiar to most persons,
that particular description, except Of that
by grating. is unnecessary.
Currants, gooseberries, and grapes. are
propagated by layers aud cuttings. and
apples, pears, plums, and cherries, by seed.
grating and budding.
The simple, but sure method OF changing
worthless fruit. to that which is rich and
choice, by engrafting. is much older than
the Christian Era. Tha; the ancients prac-
ticed this art. is certain. In Psul's "Epis-
tie to the Romans" ENGRAVING Is u>ed TO
illustrate point
Insearlier times. ii was considered haz-
ardous to gran much OF tree a. time
Nov, orchardists take of the whole head
at once. Formerly. Il was thought that
scions should never be set, except early in
the spring-now, people gran whenever 1t
suits their convenience. The bold. go
ahead character OF the times retuse~-righi
or wrong-to be trammeled by the cautious
system of former days
Ii will not be necessary TO describe all
the kinds OF grating, as but few are ever
prscticed on a large scale. Cicf1 and t,ngHe
or ,chip grating, are the more common, es-
peeialiy. the former. Nursery trees in the
hands OF nurserymeE, are usually grated
BY the s1idle splice. or bud method. For
H. ted
branches. 70 be renswed by degrees croirn.
sometimes called ripd grsning-merely
variety OF cleft grating, i Praeticcd--
.SAieid or T grating is also used For
small trees, the bes; mode is budding. or
..inoculation: r a. termed by the old au-
thors
or all the modes. clcft-srafting Is the
most primitive. Il i simple and is easly
performed. yet il has a cIumsy apPe aranee.
Il Is performed thus The cad OF the
stock or branch j frs; sawed OF, and
smoothed with a knIfe-ooth saw and knife
being very sharp-a Glen, or split. Is then
make in the stock or branch with hammer
and splitting. or grating knife, or as often
open from al inch and a halt 10 two inches
deep with an IRON. or i hard wood wedge
The scion Is prepared BY cutting it down to
wedge shape, taking care 10 preserve the
bark on the outer wedge. When the scion
! inserted. great care mus: be had, that the
iHaie bark ~ ae gran e1aotly its the INSIDE
bark q tAe stock. 80 that the sap can pass
uniuterruptly from one 10 the other OF
ten. aftcr they have been fitted thus COM
pletely, the withdrawal OF the wedge. or
the nipping OF the cleft, or in waxing, the
scion l. pushed aside, and displacement
no greater than the thickness or writing
paper may break the line OF union, or the
eract coincisIng of the GlbUrmgH sap wood
Which is fdial.
An Ellsworth orchardist, whose exhibit
OF choice apples al several Of the Hancock
County Fairs, shows tina; he knows where
OF he sifirms-ayoids the risk OF displace-
ment, by inserting the scion slGni,rtse, and
thus AZ the angle where the saw-wosd
crosses, junction j. formed. The only
conceivable objection TO this mode Is. that
as in splice grating, but little growth IS
attained the FIRST year, g compared with
that where the parts are accurately ftied
to each other.
II the stock be more than an inch wide
two scions are better than one. The wound
should be covered with grating wax 10 ex-
clude the air perfectly. II two scions be
inserted. and both grow, cut the weaker
one away amer year or two, or, II the
stock be little large for one gran. and
under size for two, the end Of the stock
opposite the graft may be cut away. Some
say, TO pour the wax on warm, as il Rms
into ans over she spertures; then pierce a
piece OF cloth with a hole TO I'll over the
graft and bind il around the stock, a. round
sore finger, covering il with wax 10 keep
il Arm in place. The wax will harden, and
hold it, excluding air and wet, and as it Is
not rigid will expand as the scion grows.
In fitting the wedge end OF the scion.
cut SO ss 10 have bud just above the ecarf
The scion should have about three buds,
aud all the wood above should BIZ cut Of
This cut must be waxed.
Cleft grating with one scion j. not the
best mode, because If the spli, has been
made right through the stock, it is in dan
ger OF being injured by the weather. This
evil may b. mitisated by making the clen
only on Que side. The insertion OF two
sclons is better
Il is al old adage, and 10 a great extent
la. b.
stock being passive" SO that orchards Of
natives, or otherwise nearly worthless
fruit, may, by grating, be completely
changed into fruit bearing of the most ap-
proved sorts. The Baldwin, the king Of
winter apples in Observation-Disclosures trees
OF which are so unreliable in Maine. can be
grown in all its excellence, from gratis.
Twigs Of the previous seasons growth.
well grown and thoroughly ripensd, make
the best scions. They may be cut any time
from October 10 April. November cut
scions succeed the best, II they are kept in
sand or moss just damp enough TO allow Of
no change in the moisture Of the scion.
As good way a. any-perhaps the best
is to wrap them in damp cloth and put
in box containing sawdust or moss. II
is important thai they be taken from healthy
trees and good bearers.
Grating may be performed throughout
the months OF April and May; but the hest
point Of time is just before the buds begin
10 swell. The best place TO cut Of the
limbs for grating is where they are less
than two inches in diameter SEA SIDE.
Potash As A FERTIIIzER--Potashf form.
one OF the most essential consl ituents OF d