The Osceola times., 1878-05-25
The Pieasnn, Art OF drafting

The Pieasaa, Art of Grr Ing
There is not one among all the pro.
cosses of agriculture that is capable of
yielding no rich return for trife Of
trouble as the grating of wild tree
with fruitful and enjoyable variety.
One minute will suffice for the grating
of the top of young seeding, aud this
minutes work will effect change of it's
whole nature and of all its produce,
throughout the ten, twenty, or City
years Of its future growth and frritare.
Everybody should learn 10 graft. Ii is
one Of the simple, useful, practical, and
everywhcrepracticable things that should
be part Of common school instruction
The writer once knew some young
women who could pare and set a graft
or bud neatly, and with entire success,
and Who took pride and pleasure in
rracticing the art. Grating will prob
ably be attended with more than
usual success this spring, because Of the
mildness o. the winter, leaving the wood
unhurt for those whe did not exercise,
nj an earlier date, forethought enough
10 cut and store the scions. Young
practitioners may find some hints useful,
and here are lew, in addition 20 the
excellent ones given last month by Mr..
Smedley
Choose sound, firm, ripe shoots, grown
in full light, for the sciors, and let them
be entirely dormant when cut and set.
With the cherry and plum it Is indis.
pensable to graft before the buds swell
in the least; apple and pear will do much
later, but all make more growth
from the graft, and fewer wild shoots
below and around it, If set quite early.
The risk with early grating is from
dry March winds parchipg the gra t,
while II as yet receives little mois.
ture from the scarcely started ascend
ing flow Of watery sap. This is pre-.
vented by using sound scions, by pro-
tecting them with aim OF wax or a
fiilet OF paper, and by using thicker wax
and tying 1t in place 80 that 1t can
not become In the least detached, to ad-
init dessicatipg air. A temperature of
80 TO 80 degs. and dry weather are most
favorable Tor the operation. The wax
should be made OF such temper as to
work nicely at that temperature not 30
soft as tobe very sticky, nor so hard as
not to stick or not to manipulate well.
II should handle like rather tough putty
in the temperature Of ordinary spring
water. There must be no free grease or
oil to stop or enter the pores of the bark.
Whip or splice grating is the most
convenient and the safest. IT is practiced
on small shoots the size of large or small
lead pencil. The wax is then applied
from roll OF strips Of half-worn muslin
soaked in ii while melted by moderate
heat. A piece is taken long enough for
each graft a strip one-qusrter to one.
halt inch wide and tive to three inches
long. wrapped on spirsliy, will completely
cover and secure the Joined parts A
good small knife, the roll of waxed cloth
and the scions are all that need be car.
ried. But few strings, hone or fine
milestone, and register for entering
the names, etc., should be part of the
euttit.--[N. Y. Tribune.
Enect of Hard Water Upon Animals.
Horses have an instructive love fol
soft water, and refuse hard water II they
can possibly get the former. Hard watel
ttouuSeo fOugn anu stdriug CDat OF
horses. and renders them liable TO gripes
Pigeons also refuse hard water il they
can obtain access to soft. Cleghorl
states that hard water in Minorci cause
diseases to the system OF certain animals
especially Of sheep. SO much are race
horses influenced by the quality of th,
water, that IL is not unirsq uent 10 carr,
a supply OF soft water in the localit,
in which the race is TO take place. les
there being only hard water, the horse
should lose condition. Mr.. Youatt, il
his book called "The Horse" remsrkin.
on the desirahleness OF soft water for th,
horse, says; Instinct or experienc,
has made the horse himself conscious O
this, tor he will never drink hard waite
II he mas access TO soft he will leav,
the most transparent water of the wei
TOR river. although the water may b,
.turbid, and even for the muddest pool.
Aud again in another place he says
Hard water drawn fresh from the vel
will assuredly make the coat of a hors
uusccustomed TO II stare, and will no
nnfequently gripe or further injur
him."