Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-22
Facts for Farmers Stock
Breeders, Pc uh ry Raisers,
Orehdrdists, Truckers and Gar
deners...Queries and ANSWERS
BRIDGE GRATING
INJURIES FRUIT TREES

or small limbs to connect the cambiun
above and below n large wound or Cir
die strip. may be practiccd success
fully almost any kind OF fruit tree
that can he propagated readily by
grating 1t is used more often with
the apple than any other fruit, but
pear trees often are treated in this way.
especially in certain sections. There
seems TO I've reason why the method
should not also DC successful on pluns
and cherries. Peaches however, graft
less readily. and there may be some
question as to the usefulness of the
method in the case of this fruit.
Mechanical injuries which may be
remcdied are usually inflicted by AMI
mails. by burrowing insects or by i'm
p!ements carelessly used. Various
diseases. such as pear blight. also cause
local injuries which may call for bridge
| grating. The trunks OF pear trees are
not infreuuently completely Girdlcd and
killed by pear blight. Bridge grating,
If done in time. however. may save
the tree. The method also is useful
when large areas of bark have been
| killed by sun scald other troubles
! Protection OF trees against rabbits and
, mice and disease is. Of course. better
! than having to bridge graft to over
come damage.
To he effective. bridge grating
| should be done in the spring before
| growth starts, though sometimes il can
/ be done after growth starts IL dor
| mant scions for the purpose can be Sc
! cured.
| Prepare the wound in The tree by
| cutting away all dead tissue and thor
| ouShly cleansing the injured parts. II
| possible, steriliZe by washing with
| solution of bichlor!dc OF mercury, cop
per sulphatc or some other antiscptic.
no jrrn aJp Of bark above
the cirdled tract or wound should be
cut back into an even edge, far enough
from the wound to make certain that
healthy camb.um is under the bark.
For the grating. select scions from
wood of the previous seasons growth,
either branches which grew the pre-
cednE season or water sprouts that
are only a year old. The scions should
b. little longer than the space which
is 10 be hridEed. so they will arch
slightly over the central part OF the
wound
Eevcl the scions At each end on the
same side of the scion with a long
sloping cut SO that the wedges shaped
ends thus formed Will be relatively
thin and permit their being thrust we'll
under the bark without danger of sep
aratinG it unduly from the cambium
AT the points OF insertion. The placing
of the scions will be facilitated If the
bark at the margins of the wound IS
slit for a short distance at the point.
where the ends are 10 be inserted.
In placing the scions it is Of the
greatest Importance that the cambium
of the scions which is exposed in the
SlopinC cuts at the ends be brought
into intimate contact with the cam
blum that lies under the bark at the
margins OF dhe wounded area. The
union of scion and tree can occur only
where the cambium layers OF the two
come together. The scions may be
secured in their proper positions. IL
need be. by driving small nail
through each end into the trunk. This
will aid in drawing the cambium OF
scion and trunk closely together.
The operation is completed by thor
oughly covering the area occupied by
the ends OF the sciors and the mar
gins Of the wound with grating wax,
strips of waxed cloth, or by some
other means that adequately Will pre-
Vent these parts from drying out.
Some operators cover the entire wound,
scionS and all. with melted wax,
Where the bridged portion is below
or near the ground, many operators
conserve moisture by covering the
crafts with earth.
Where the wound is so large as to
make ordinary bridge grating i'm
possible. another method of bridging
! may he used. Two-year- trees are
! planted about the base OF the injured
trees and their tops grated into its
trunk above the girdled space, which
has first been cleaned as in the other
method. AS the tops OF the small
trees are too large TO manipulate read
! lily in the manner described for scionS
! N-shaped vertical grooves extending
! through the cambium are cut just above
! the wounded area in the bark Of the
! tree 20 he treated. The tops Of the
| ha tn T,.I
| with these grooves The two are then
| manner ms 10 bring the cambium Of one
/ Small nails may be driven through the
, tops Of the trees into the trunk. TO hold
| the parts firmly together. The wounds
| incident 10 joining the tops of the
/ small trees TO the trunk of the large
! one should be we'll covered with wax
10 prevent drying out. Sometimes rord
| is tied around the trunk to aid in hold
| ing the tops Of the young trees in
| proper position.
! While bridge grating is seldom
used on shade or other ornamental
| trees, w. +. Fletcher. the author of
| "a most instructive bulletin on Bridge
Grating INo 7l0). which has been
recently issued by the United States
| Department Of Agriculture. writes that
this method Of grating would prob
ably prove successful in overcoming
certain types Of injuries 10 them. IT
is certainly we'll worth trying
|