Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-10-19
GraftinG

Grating is the insertion of a cion of
one species or variety, on the stem or
branch Of another. AS general rule,
shoots of the previous years growth are
used as cions. Do not use fruit buds.
They should be cut in the fall, after the
leaves have fallen, or during the winter.
Pack them in dry earth, and keep in a
cool dry cellar until wanted for use.
They should never be taken from trees
that are not sound and healthy. Firm,
we'll ripened wood, taken from the up
per branches of the tree are the best. A
small, we'll ripened, sound cion is better
than one as large as a mans finger, If I'M
ripe or pithy.
Anything, from a yearling Seeding to
a tree forty years old may be used as a
stock, but it must be sound and healthy,
whatever it's age The tools used in
grating are a saw, chisel and grating
knife. A grating composition of wax,
made of two pounds of rOsin, one and
one fourths pounds Of beeswax and
three -fourths of a pound of tallow, will
answer every purpose. If preferred raw
linseed-oil may be used in the place of
tallow. For whip grating on the root
of small trees, thin calico cloth soaked
in the composition is better than the
composition alone. Thoroughly soak
and tear in strips wide enough and long
enough to make two or three wraps
about the stock, and the graft will be
! secured.
monty used are whip grating and cleft
| grating. the former used in grating
| roots and small trees.
In whip-grafting on the root, Seeding
! stocks one or two years old are generally
used AS the graft is always made at
| the collar the stems are cut Off at that
place The small tap roots and
cumbrous tibers are removed, leaving
! them about four inches long. After
being washed clean they are ready
for the operation. Make an even,
smooth, sloping cut an inch long, up
ward on the collar of the root In the
center of this cut make a slit or tongue
downward. Have the ciOn three or
four inches long; on the lower end of 1t
! have a sloping cut dOwnwards, IN all re-
spects like that in the stock, and IN
this have the slit or tongue cutupwards,
this to match or correspond with that IN
the stock; fit them neatly together, the
tongue of one within that of the other,
and the inner banks of both placed In
close and perfect contact, on at least one
side. The fit ought to be so complete
that they will sit close and firm in all
parts. After putting on the wax, wrap
firmly with a strip of the soaked cloth.
Keep in a dry, cool place until ready
to plant in the spring. The only tool
needed in whip grating is sharp knife.
Whip grating on small trees standing
in the same way.
Cleft grating is used when the trees
or branches are too large for whip graft
ing. In this case the cion is cut like a
wedge. The wedge part, cut for plac-
ING in the stock, should be from an inch
to an inch and half in length, with a
bud at the shoulder. where 1t is to rest on
the stock The outer edge of the wedge
shape should be some thicker than the
inner. When your cion is ready, make
a sioping cut upon the stock an inch and
a half long, in such way that 1t comes
to a point About half way down the
length of the slope cut the stock off
square: then split the stock on one side
of the split by placing the chisel on the
square or horizontal surface, and striking
with a light mallet; keep the split open
with the knife or chisel until the cion is
put in with the thick edge out. The
cut parts should be completely covered
! with the wax. and the work is done.
Where large branches are to be grated.
thew are cut off horizontally, with the
saw. made smooth with the knife, then