The Teton peak-chronicle., 1905-03-23
OUTDOOR GRATING.

To be successful in top grating in
the spring we must have, first, ciOns
III good condition; second, vigorous
stocks; third, proper relation Of
cion to shock; fourth, wax covering
of the right consistency, and fifth,
little knowledge of the way of doing
ii, as we'll as the best time.
In the above order it is first Of all
important to have cions free from in
jury or from drying or other injury
after being cut. Hence, fall cut ciOns
are always preferred if they have
been we'll kept.
In the northern apple growing re-
gions this is Of special importance,
but not SO much so in the central
and southern regions, where the
winters are comparatively mild.
Hence it is good nursery practice to
cut all cions wanted for winter or
spring grating in the fall, or before
1 severe winter and bury in moist soil,
sand, sawdust or moss, where they
car be preserved in peri ct con ltion.
If that has not been done no time
I should be lost in securing ciOns OF
varieties wanted from some reliable
nursery or if from the orchard cut
these in the first mild ST when the
wood is not frozen, of the last years
! growth, or even two-year-old wood;
rot water sprouts, but good, firm,
well-matured wood, which, when cut
shows bright, clear sur.cce, with no
yellow tinge or discolOratiOn next the
bark The stock to be GATED should
be vigorous, but If not trf implanted at
the time of grating. and has good
after culture, even a dormant tree
may do well top grated But, as
with cion, if it be much discolored
from winter or other cause it will
not do we'll. 1t is generally known
that only cions of the same family
and generally Of the same species,
can be successfully grated. Thus
the pear will grow on the apple and
the ounce, but each do best on their
own species, and the closer the rela-
tion the more likely to succeed. Most
orchard top grating is for the pur-
pose of changing the fruit to better
quality or of different season, as we'll
as to make certain the quality OF an
uncertain Seeding. The old eastern
custom was to use wax made OF
equal parts of resin tallow and bees
wax. which was welted and thorough
ly mixed over a slow fire and worked
by creased hands into sticks while
cooling.
We prefer to use boile1 oil in place
of tallow, and to spread the wax on
stout white muslin, whic', after cool
ing, is cut into strips about an inch
wide, which is then ready to use in
working the wound after setting the
graft For most of our top grating
we now use the same composition
with less oil applied from a hot ket-
tie, with small brush. which any
farmer can make with stick and
bunch of cowtail. In this case we
cover not only the wound but also
tho tip of the cion with the hot wax
and while yet warm, stick over all
a slip Of white paper, to shelter from
sun and wind until growth is assured.
In any case care should be taken to
cover every wound with the wax. In
the latter method the wax can be
harder than in either of the former,
as the paper covering helps to keep
out the air from any cracks that may
come in the waxing. Too much grease
will kill the best gratis and cause q
total failure.
With all the other conditions right,
the last Is easiest of all and least
liable to cause failure. We COM
mence grating at the e ,und. or COL
lar. or higher on stocks three-eights of
an inch or less in caliber or on
branches of the same size ON large
trees with the whip graft or splice,
which Is a sloping cut on stock and
cion to match. with tongue on each
to hold them together while winding
with the stri0 of wax cloth or cotton
tWine. The parts must be held 6rm-
IL together while winding together
until they unite. II the stock be one
half inch or over we split 1t and
insert the cion shaved wedge-shaped
and wax and paper as described be-
fore. Any novice can do this and
even bungling job = do we'll II
the former conditions are furnished
But one thing is really essential here
that the inner bark Of cion and
stock shall meet. at least at some
point If string is used on the graft
II should be cut when 1t begins to
girdle the stock.