The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-03-14

or small limbs to connect the cam
blum above and below q large wound
or girdled strip, may be practiced sue
ceSSfully on almost any kind of fruit
tree that can be propagated readily
with the apple than any other fruit,
but pear trees often are treated in
this way, especially in certain sec
lions. There seems to be no reason
why the method should not also be
successful on plums 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
remedied are usually inflicted by ami
mails, by burrOwing insects or by i'm
plements carelessly used. Various dis
eases, such as pear blight, also cause
local injuries which may call for
bridge grating. The trunks of pear
trees are not infrequently completely
girdled and killed by pear blight.
Bridge grating, if done in time, how
ever, may save the tree. The method
also is useful when large areas of bark
have been killed by sun scald or other
troubles. Protection of trees against
rabbits and mice and disease is, of
course, better than having to bridge
graft to overcome damage.
Grating in Spring.
To be effective, bridge grating
should be done in the spring before
growth starts, though sometimes 1t can
be done after growth starts If dormant
scions for the purpose can be secured.
Prepare the wound in the tree by
cutting away all dead tissue and thor
oughly cleansing the injured parts. II
| possible, sterilize by washing with a
solution of bichloride of mercury, cop
per sulphate, or some other antiseptic.
The irregular edges of the bark above
the girdled tract or wound should be
cut back into an even edge, far enough
from the wound to make certain that
healthy cambium is under the bark.
For the grating, select scions from
wood of the previous seasons growth,
either branches which grew the pre-
ceding season or water sprouts that
are only q year old. The scions should
be little longer than the space which
is to be bridged, SO they will arch
slightly over the central part of the
wound.
Bevel the ScionS at each end OF the
| same side Of the scion with a long
| ylOping cut so that the wedge-shaped
ends thus formed will be relatively
Thin and permit their being thrust well
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 q short distance at the points
where the ends are to be inserted.
Placing Scions.
In placing the scions it is of the
greatest Importance that the cambium
CT the scions which is exposed in the
sloping cuts at the ends be brought
into intimate contact with the cam
blum that lies under the bark at the
margins of the 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, if
need be, by driving a 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 scions and the mar
gins Of the wound with grating wax,
strips of waxed cloth, or by some 9th
er means that adequately will prevent
these parts from drying out. Some OPP
orators cover the entire wound, scions
and all, with melted wax. Where the
bridged portion is below or near the
ground, many operators conserve mois-
ture by covering the CRAFTS with earth.
Another Method.
Where the wound is SO large as to
make ordinary bridge grating impos-
sible, another method of bridging may
be used. Two-year-old trees are plant
ed 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 meth
cd. AS the tops of the small trees are
too large to manipulate readily in the
manner described for scions, V-shaped
vertical grooves extending through the
cambium are cut just above the wound
ed area in the bark of the tree to be
treated. The tops of the small trees
are shaped to correspond with these
grooves. The two are then accurately
fitted together in such a manner as to
bring the cambium Of one into contact