The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-03-27
Grating Wax.


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 to say that only |
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 so until these pro-
cesses win no longer be considered the
special property of nurserymen or pro-
fessional grafters. 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 diyulged
for a 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-
| ployment, know anything about their
| business that has not been published
| thousand times; but those who do not
read agricultural and horticultural
/ journals and books are not aware OF the
fact, and therefore inclined to think
| that there may be some professional
secrets not usually disclosed to the pub
| lie, 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 in
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 to make it as tough as
possible. Sometimes little finely
chopped grass was added to give it
toughness. This composition was in
| common use more than 1000 years
ago, and is still used by gardeners in
grating certain kinds of plants that
1 have a soft sponge-like bark that might
be injured by compositions containing
oil or grease.
The composition of grating wax is
almost as variable as the ideas of the
men who use it, and there are scores of
recipes 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 over moderate
fire and well stirred before the mixture
"a H. al
weather add little more tallow, or if
in warm "a little less. In Europe, Bur-
gundy pitch is more generally used in
making grating wax than in this
country. Some of the French nursery
men recommend the following: Melt to-
gether two pounds twelve ounces Of
, rosn and one pound and eleven ounces
of Burgundy pitch. At the same time
| melt nine ounces of tall0w, pour the
latter into the former while both are
hot and stir the mixture thoroughly
Then add eighteen ounces of red ochre
dropping it in gradually and stirring
the mixture at the same time. After thu
, composition has cooled sufficiently
work it well with the hands. For out
, door work in cool weather this wax i
rather hard, but if carried in vesse
, where it can be occasionally warmed
!, it is readily applied and is quit
, durable.
!. All the above kinds of wax may b
: spread upon cloth or tough paper wit
. a brush when warm, and after it ha
| cooled the paper or cloth may be Gu
' up into narrow strips of any conyenien
i size. In what is called splice or viii
4 grating, these strips of waxed clot
i are very convenient for wrapping abou
> the parts united A French masti
4 known as ''Lefort's Liquid Graftin
/ Wax is made by melting one pound {
: common rosin over a gentle fire an
r adding one ounce of beef tallow, th
!. latter to be well stirred in. Take
n from the fire, let it cool down o littl
i and then mix in eight ounces of aleoho
q The alcohol will cool down the mixtur
y so rapidly that it may be necessary
q put it on the fire again. The utmoi
d care must be exercised to prevent til
!. alcohol taking fire This. mastc
\ | highly recommended by the nurser,
10 men of France, and it has been used
I some. extent in this country for sewers
" years. 1t is imported in tin boxes an
e usually kept on sale at seed stores,
* We might give many other recipe
70 for making grating wax ara mastic
IL but believe that the above are the bes
ID and that the one made simply of rosil
n beeswax and tallow is as good as al
- ever invented. Some nurserymen
+ late years have substituted linseed c
Or for tallow, and while it may answer Fl
IN some kinds of trees, we are inclined
re- think tits Injurious to those with vel
IN thin bark. We have known sever
r. instances where losses have occurrt
ne that were attributed to the use of oil
I making the wax used in grating
ne I. Sun.
~ A Woman Who Could Keep a Score
he Miss Elizabeth Richards. memb
ge II of the Nrthndnx Eriends, m etino ~