The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-03-27
aORTICULTURE
soMR HINTs ON eRAFTING.

Yesterday was drizzly day ending
in sleet and snow. This cold snap
further retards gardening and general
farm work. Vegetation is very back :
ward. All late sown oats are winter
killed. Late sown wheat is not much
better of. Fall planted cabbage are
badly injured. But SO far as I have
observed, the fruit crop has not been
injured in the bud.
All kinds of fruit trees are we'll set
with fruit bearing buds, and every in
dication points to an abundant crop Of
fruit. Should this be the case, every
one who has an orchard will find it
profitable to take care of his fruit
either by drying or canning it. The
fruit crop has been killed so often of
late years, farmers are planting but
few trees. However, it is not yet too
late to set trees. One of my neighbors
informs me that he will yet plant a
hundred Kieffer pear trees.
If gratis are now cut and slowed in a
cool place and kept damp, they may
safely be set in stocks when the tree is
in full bud, or just beginning to show
the small leaves. In early life my
father used to take me with him when
he went to graft his trees. When quite
a small boy, began to try my hand
and have generally been successful
since, SO will venture to give the bs ne
fit Of my experience.
1t is not always convenient for a
farmer to get grating wax; as a sub
stisute he may use clay. It often hap
pens that one has a vigorous young
tree bearing sorry apples; in such case
ii is far better to put new head of
good fruit upon it. In this case, select
from some good variety fruit bearing
twigs, using about two or three buds
to each graft. Slope the graft from
the lowest bud, cutting the graft from
the lowest bud, cutting the graft wedge
shape, leaving the outer edge the thick
est; cut eff the limb to be graf ed
smoothly so as not to dispIace the bark
make, il possible, with sharp knife,
q clean split, take small hard wedge,
force open the cleft, setting the wedga
in the centre or opposite side Of the
limb to be grated: then take the graft
and force it into the cleft, and be sure
that the bark of the graft comes in con-
tact with that of the stock in which it
is grated. Be sure to force the graft
into the cleft or split until it fits tightly.
Then take come clay, put it around the
stock and the graft; Ground this tie a
corn shuek or piece Of cloth. If the
grating is done carefully in moist
weather, there will be few failures.
The same Instructions apply to graft
ing pears.
In grating nursery stock if large
trees are desired, select CRAFTS from
water sprouts or non bearing tWigs If
small and early hearing trees are de
sired, select gratis from fruit. bearing
twigs. Choose day when the ground
is in good order; cut the stock to be
grated a little below the surface; after
the graft is inserted wrap the ettck
with twine so as to press it to the graft
carefully. Rake up a small hill OF
well gulveriz ID earth, GOVERN g the top
OF the graft abcus one half inch deep
Splice grating may be done by cut
ting a graft the sjzs of the twig to
which it is to be spliced, Slope both TIE
twig and the graft with long slope
and in such a manner that the bark of
each must fit perfectly. The twig and
graft must be wrapped carefully with
twine and over this something to keep
the graft moist. would advise not
to attempt to put full head on a tree
Of considerable size ia one season.
Isee it stated In Green's Fruit Gro wer
that "a peach cannot be successfully
grated" I have often heard it stated
that a peach could be successfully
grated on the wild plum and that the
tree will be hardy. but never tried it.
Our Agricultural Bureau informs US
that at the present rate of consumption
our timber supply will be exhausted
vii hin the next sixty years. Will it
not be wise in our people to look more
to the cultivation OF our forest trees,
those used in the manufac
ture of furniture, the walnut, maple
and the oak9 WRlnuts can now be
planted and in out OF the way corners
or any rich land. Il will not pay to
plant them in poor land.
B. T. WHITE.
Alamance Co., N. @.