Evening star., 1947-02-23

season. A local gardener, who has
practiced the art for some years,
found that the only time buds Of
the pink Towering dogwood would
take" in a white-flowering dogwood
was in the late spring as the buds
began to unfurl. Budding. as this
operation is called, at all other sea-
sons was failure.
Both budding and grating are
usually most successful If under
taken at a season when the bark
separates readily from the cambium
layer, that thin shell of living wood
under the bark that carries the sap.
For most shrubs and trees this Is
in the early spring, although for
some it Is in the late summer. Roses
are budded In the summer, July
and August.
The second rule for grating and
budding is to see that the cambium
layer of the bud or scion Is in con-
tact with the cambium layer OF the
root, branch or stock, Of the recipi-
ent plant. The more the two layers
come in contact the quicker and
the stronger the graft will be.
The third rule is to have a sharp
knife. Dull knives leave q rough
surface and air pockets which de-
lay If not prevent the union. Ex-
perienced whittlers have the edge
on those who have never practiced
that ancient rural pastime.
How to Make the "T."
Budding is the simplest form of
grating and consists Of inserting
a bud Of a desired variety under
the bark of rootstock. 1t consists
Of making a ''T" shaped incision in
the bark, but not into the cambium
layer, and preferably on the north
side Of the stock. I.
The horizontal cut is usually "
to y inch in length. The vertical
cut is usually q bit longer.
Before making this cut, however,
q bud stick should be obtained from
the rose or shrub to be propagated.
Buds ordinarily should not be tax
en- from the tip or from the base of
a branch. A bud stick may have
one or more buds on it. It should
be cut and kept wrapped in a moist
cloth until ready to use.
AS soon as the "I'' cut is made
a bud is cut from the stick, start
ing half inch above and extend
ing half inch below the bud. The
cut should be shallow enough to
avoid a heavy wood base but deep
enough to avoid injury to the bud.
With the bud ready for insertion the
lips of the bark are loosened at the
'T'' with the knife blade or a bud
ding tool. The bud is inserted from
the top of the cut and pushed Sc
curely and firmly into place. Rafia
or a rubber strip is used to hold
the bud securely in place.
The bud is left undisturbed until
the following spring when most of
the top Of the rootstock, in many
cases all of it, is removed leaving
the sap to flow only to the bud.
This type of grating may be used
in the propagation of roses, apples,
peaches and many other kinds of
fruits and ornamentals.
The Whip Graft Method.
The second type of grating is the
simple whip-graft. 1t consists of
making a long slanting cut across
the stem of branch or root with
a similar slanting cut across the
end of scion or piece Of twig which
it is desired to propagate. The scion
and the rootstock or branch should
be approximately the same diameter
so that the cambium layers of the
two will match.
One modification has Sits In the
ends of both pieces SO that even
more of the cambium layers will be
in contact. The two are matched
and tied into place with raffla or a
rubber band. This type of grating
is ordinarily done in the winter or
early spring. When done in the win
ter the completed graft is buried
in moist sand or peat moss to
"callous."
AS soon as planting time comes
they are set out in rows.
The Cleft Grating Technique.
The third type of grating, cleft
grating, is used primarily for con-
verting an undesirable variety of
fruit trees over to one of desirable
variety. A few Of the limbs of the
trees are sawed off as low down or
close to the trunk as possible al