The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-12-04
TALKS Of GRAFT
ING TREES
r. WALDEN GIVES EXPLANATION
OF METHODS EMPLOYED TO
CHANGE TREE VARIETIES
CARE is NEEDED.

Intend by means of grating to
change the variety of fruit produced
by some of their trees, F. Walden,
the eminent expert in horticulture,
thinks the opportune time to discuss
this subject of grating in a compre-
hensive manner is at hand.
Under the head Of grating" says
Mr.. Walden, there are several meth
DDS, known as cleft-grafting, shield
grating, saddle-grafting, bark-graft-
ing, etc. do not deem it necessary
10 fully describe these several meth
DDS. The one in common use in top
working apples and pears is cleft
grating Some horticulturists prefer
one or another of the methods above
referred to.
plies, consists in splitting the limb
into which the graft or scion is in
serted. Let us suppose that We want
to transform an apple tree eight or
ten years old. We should first Sc
lect from three to five limbs so ar
ranged about the top that when they
are worked over and all others are
cut off, We will have a we'll balanced
top. Then cut off with a fine saw
each of these limbs. Make the cut
across at right angles to the length
of the limb. The next step is to
split this cutoff limb in the center.
Special Instrument.
This splitting is done with an in
strument made for the purpose and
sold by seed houses. Before remov-
ing the knife used in splitting, in
the limbs so all parts will not close
up tight The scion to be used must
be dormant. even if the tree is in the
growing condition. Grating can be
successfully done after the leaves
are full grown. provided the scion is
dormant
The old motto for grating is a
sappy stock and a dormant scion.
The scion must not be dried out as it
is when cut in the winter. If graft
ing is to be done late after the leaves
have begun to grow. the scions must
be kept in a cool place, where they
will not dry out. Now, while grating
can be done after the leaves have be-
gun to grow. prefer to do the work
in the spring just before the leaves
start to grow.
Plump and Healthy.
The scions used should be cut
from the previous years growth,
should be plump and healthy. Use
a piece of scion three or four inches
long with bud near the outer end,
with a sharp knife make a wedge out
of the lower end of the scion. The
outer edge of this wedge should be a
little thicker than the inner edge.
Now comes one of the most import
ant operations in the process of
grating The inner bark of the scion
must be in touch with the inner back
of the stock. If this scion should be
set in the center of the stock it would
die as certainly as if it were thrown
the tree is always the outer part.
The same is true of the scion. The
growing part of the scion must touch
the growing part of the stock. There
are always two currents of sap in
growing tree, one is flowing upward
from the roots and the other flowing
downward or out from the leaves.
Only that sap that is coming from the
leaves can assist in the growth of the
tree That from the leaves is called
elaborated sap and is always in the
newest part of the tree; that COM
ing up from the roots of the tree is
called crude sap and is of no use to
the growth of the tree till it is elab-
GRATED in the leaves. The crude sap
goes up through the inner parts CT
the tree, but not in the very center,
while the elaborated sap flows down
ward or outward just under he
bark
Air and Water.
When the scion is properly placed
then comes another important step in
the process, and that is to keep both
the air and water from the wounds
made in grating. This is done by
properly waxing the fresh cut parts
of both stock and scion. We keep
our wax warm enough so that we cal
put it on with small paddle. Ever
showing fresh cuts must be covered
with the wax.
Hence, we are in the habit of say
ing that successful grating depends
largely on two things, the placing of
the scion in the right place and the
complete covering of the wounds with
wax We always PVT in two scions
in each cleft, one on each side then
the little wedge, used TO hold the cut
cpen, is removed When the limb
cut does not exceed half inch in
diameter one scion is sufficient