The Columbus journal., 1884-05-14

VAooDS VoA
We wish it could be said with truth
that every farmer and owner of q garden
knew how to graft all the different
kinds of fruit and Ornamental trees, or
even the most common species in cult
walton. But we regret 10 say that only
a very small proportion of those who
cultivate trees know anything about the
different methods employed in their
propagation; still, the number of per-
sons who do their own grating and
budding of fruit and ornamental trees
IS increasing every year, and will prob
ably continue to do 80 until these pre-
cesses will no longer be considered The
special property of nurserymen Or pro-
fesSional grafterA Occasionally .
farmer. after watching some itinerant
CRATER working in his orchard. will be-
come satisfied that he can peform the
manual part of the operation as well as
the man he is employing; but if he
seeks information regarding the COM
position Of the wax used in covering the
wound made in the tree operated upon.
he is very likely to be informed that it
Is . trade secret, which will be divulged
for q certain sum, and this usually puts
an end to further investigation in that
direction. We do not suppose, how
ever, that those professional grafters
who 90 about the country seeking EN-
ploymcnt, know anything about their
business that has not been published q
thousand times; but those who do moi
read agricultural and horticultural
journals and books are not aware Of the
TACT, and therefore inclined to think
that there may be some professional
vecrets not usually disclosed to the pub
bic, and that one of these is the cOmpO-
sition Of the various kinds Of grating
wax or other unctuous compounds.
The primitive composition used for
covering wounds and cuts made ia
grating was clay and COW manure
Any good kind of clay was taken, and
two parts of this was MIXED with one
part of COW manure, all well beaten to-
gether in order 10 make it rs tough as
possible. Sometimes > little finely
chopped grass was added to give it
This composition was in
common use more than 1000 years
ago, and is still used by gardeners in
grating certain kinds of plants that
have q soft sponge-like bark that might
be injured by compositions containing
oil or grease.
The composition of grating way is
as variable as the ideas of the
who use it, and there are scores of
for making it. One of the old
est. and, we think, one Of the best for
outdoor use. is composed of four parts
of common rosin. two parts of beeswaX
and about one and half parts of tallow;
all are melted together v q moderate
fire and well stirred before the mixture
coOls. If it is to be used in very cool
weather add a little more tallow, or if
in warm q little less. In Europe. Bur-
pitch is more generally used in
making grating wax than in this
country. Some of the French nursery
men recommend the following: Melt to-
two pounds twelve ounces of
rosin and one pound and eleven ounces
Of Burgundy pitch. At the same time
melt nine unc of tallOw. pour the
after into the former while both are
not and stir the mixture thoroughly.
Then add eighteen ounces of red ochre.
iropping it in gradually and stirring
he mixture ut the same time. After the
composition has cooled sufficiently
work it we'll with the hands. For out
ioOr work in cool weather this wax is
'ather hard. but if carried in a vessel
where it can be occasionally warmed
t is readily applied and is quite
durable.
All the above kinds of wax may be,
pread upon cloth or tough paper with
brush when warm, and after it has
cooled the paper or cloth may be cut.
p into narrow strips Of any convenient
ize. In what is called splice or whip
these strips of wsxed cloth
very convenient for wrapping about
he parts united. A French mastic
as ..Lefort's Liquid Grating
is made by melting n pound Of
ommon rosin over a gentle fire and
.dding one ounce of beef tallow, the
to be well stirred in. Take it
rom the fire, let it cool down a little
nd then mix in eight of alcohol.
The alcohol will cool down the mixture
o rapidly that it may be necessary to
it OF the fire again. The utmost
are must be exercised to prevent the
lcohol taking fire This mastic is
tightly recommended by the nursery
zen of France, and it has been used to
ONE extent in this country for several
ears. 1t is imported in tin boxes and
kept on sale at seed stores,
We might give many other recipes
or making grating wax and mastics,
ut believe that the above are the best,
nd that the one made simply of rosin,
eeswax and tallow is as good rs any
yer invented. Some nurserymen of
Ate years have substituted linseed oil
Or tallow, and while it may answer for
ONE kinds of trees, we are inclined to
hink tits injurious to those with very
hin bark. We have known several
where losses have occurred
nat were attributed to the use of oil in
laking the wax used in grafting.-N.
?. Sun.