Show every one can van graft kurfirst our first successful grafting was done at the age of oine nine year at home we had an old orchard that seemed to be pat past its period of usefulness ful ness and what apples it did bear were of inferior sorts it a 4 question whether to cut down the trees or try and rejuvenate them by the application ot of an abundance of manure well stirred into the soil and by grafting the old limbs with new and superior varieties of fruit it was concluded to see what virtue there was in ill manure and chions and this gave us an oporto opportunity anity to watch the p process 0 of grafting before the job was finished we had learned the art of cutting a cion makina making a cleft applying the wax etc I 1 later at in the season it was a source of much gratification to see the young grafts we had put in growing along with those set by a master hand this reminiscence of youth it in given as a proof that grafting is not a n monopoly iono poly of gifted gifted min minds i d a or an art that can onay only be acquired by the few with the ordina ordinary y amount of gumption to begin with followed by careful teaching for only a short time almost any one can graft successfully fully grafting ia simply aply planting a cutting of one variety in the wood of another instead ofin of in the soil it is essential that the growing layer of the cion I 1 and an d stock come in close be so held until they grow together now is the time t to get chions they may be bought at most nurseries and great care should bo be taken to get et only the best varieties locut if cut at oft bome fome home bo a equally careful to get them of the right kind cutting only twigs of hist ast seasons growth each sort should be cut sepa separately ratel y and tied in bundles labeled and afterwards put t in boxes with dar damp up sawdust t 0 or r moss IMES and kept in in a cool place until utpal A fine saw law two good knives one strong and heald heavy the other drw smaller iller with a keen ae edge a hardwood wedge six inc inches b long and half an inch thick and a sma email ii mallet are the implements implement 4 used in grafting the wax may be easily ma made de by melting together beeswax 6 oz rosin and tallow 4 oz each over overa a moderate fire etin ing gradually until all is melted rolls oil of waxed cloth may be formed from old cotton stuff made thin by wear and torn into strips two inches wi wide d wind the strips upon a stick etick and dip them into t the he melted wax when the cloth is thoroughly penetrated by the wax demoye let dri drip P and put aiva away v from dust ready for use grafting should bo be done aj as soon as the buds begin to swell having determined upon the place fur for the graft saw off the branch smooth the cut surface and make a cleft with die knife and mallet cut the cion from the atwil twig leaving two or three buds upon the tie t piece and sharpen the lower edge into a wedge open the cleft w with ith the knife and place the cion in care carefully fally BO so that the lower bud comes at the top of the cleft the inner bark or growing layer ayer of the cion clou and the tho stock 2 should ho uld touch as much aa as po isible if the grafted branch is small ua v single CIO cion n is enot enough iob otherwise e I 1 put in 0 one r ne on each adz side unroll enough waxed cloth to co cover ver the wound of both loth stock and chions chions and press it lw v abiud mid closely the quick ua y action petion is w only on ly I 1 a matter of practice it is well for beginners to start with worthless limbs before doing regular regula r grafting in the orchard if possible ibl find some ono one in the neighborhood d familiar with the process and acar icahn the art from him the general principles may be obtained obtain ed from printed directions but the success of oc the work will dc depend and upon the knack and that is only only acquired in the orchard DR in an american ca n agricultural for february |