The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-02-07
GRATING THE GRAPE.

No. 1. The Cleft Graft.-This form
of graft is generally made by saving
off the vine from three to six inches be-
low the surface iof the soil, leaving
n stub into which one or two scions may
II be iserted. The saw should be sharp
so that it will work easily and not LAGER
ate the edges of the stub. When such
grating is to be done it might be mat
ter of economy to have saw made es-
pecially adapted to the purpose. The
handle should be on higher plane than
the blade; this allows free use of the
hands above ground, while the blade
lis below, near the bottom of the exca-
walton made about the stem of the vine.
| If common straight saw is used the
stock must be cut off at an angle, or
the hole must be made larger, neither
result being exactly what is desired. The
blade need not be more than six or
eight inches long, and only wide enough
| to give frmness. The handle, which can
be of any convenient pattern, but large
enough to be grasped by both hands,
should be attached to solid bent shank,
having the part which lowers the blade
block into excavation from three to four
inches in length.
When the stock has been sawed it is
a good plan to smooth the top of the
ISIuU, at IuC DldCGS III WHICH, tut SClOuS
are to stand, with charp knife in order
to dress those portions of the sawed
surface, and to show more distinctly the
| line dividing the bark from the wood.
The next step is to split the stub, leav-
| ing the smooth parts above mentioned
at the top of the cleft. This splitting
of the stub is not so easy as first APP
pears. A large chisel might answer the
same purpose. The cutting edges should
be sharp to prevent unnecessary tear
ing of the cells. The grain of grape wood
is not very straight, and some varieties
seem to have peculiarly twisted wood.
In such cases a keen edge upon the
tool is of great value. 1t has been recon-
mended to use fine saw for making a
cleft to receive the scions; in many cases
this advice is well worth following, for it
| is practically impossible in some instances
| to split stub in such q manner that q
scion will have much chance of growing.
When the stub has been split or sawed
| to depth of about two inches it is
then ready to receive the scions. They
should carry at least two buds, and short
jointed wood may carry three. The cuts
which form the lower end of the scion
into q wedge should begin little be-
low, and on each side of the lower bud.
The wood should be cut so that the
ISuSC OppOollS IuC Uuu Olull Dc IulllleE
than the part under it. These three
scions may be prepared in this manner
before taking them to the field, but care
must be taken that the cut surfaces do
not become dry. This may be prevented
by packing them in some clean ma
terial as moss or moistened cloth.
These are then carefully in
serted, not in direction parallel to
the central axis of the stub, but at a
slight angle with it, allowing the tops of
| the scions to lean a trifle away from the
stub and from each other. The reason
| for this inclination is to make sure that
the cambium layers of scion and stock
| cross at one point at least. The greater
the angle of the scion the shorter will be
| this place of contact; therefore, care must
be taken that the scions diverge but
slightly. When both scions are in position
the lower bud having been placed on the
outside, the wedge is carefully drawn.
AS the cleft in the stub closes, pressure
is brought to bear upon the CRAFTS; but
since these were cut so that the portion
under the lower bud is thicker than the
part opposite to it the pressure is greater
at the outside of the scion. This is where
it is wanted, for the cambium layers are
brought into very close contact, and if the
work has been well done, success is prac-
tically assured. In case of large stubs the
pressure in the cleft may be severe
enough to injure the graft. When the
scion is being squeezed so that its form is
altered, it is well to insert q wooden
wedge in the cleft to relieve this excessive
pressure. All thar now remains to be
done is to fill the cavity about the stub
with earth, and the scion should also be
buried so that only about an inch, or the
part above the upper bud remains uncov-
cred. The soil should be firmed slightly to
prevent it from dying out, and the opera
ton is finished.
Wax is sometimes used to cover the
cut, or surface of both scion and stock,
but | have never been able to see that
any advantage was obtained from its use