REMARKS UPON ENGRAFTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8630, 28 July 1891, Page 3

REMARKS UPON ENGRAFTING.

[by a poor subscriber.] We have an old maxim amongst us which says, "A thing if worth doing, is worth doing well;" and its force may be applied to the engrafting of fruib trees. But before making a few observations upon that subject I must beg to be allowed to preface them by the following extract:— It has been related that after God had created the birds, He commanded the magpie to instruct all the other birds how to build their nests ; and, on that bird going to show the pigeon, he commenced to coo, coo, coo, which in the language of birds is said to mean, "I already know;" whereat the magpie replied, " Well, then, I need not take the trouble to show you." And hence it; comes that to this day the pigeon is the most unskilful nest-buifder amongst the birds. Now, he who is able to make a happy digest of the context of the above extract will read my remarks upon engrafting, and thereby become a* beneficiary. Although the act of engrafting may be said to be only a simple matter, it is, nevertheless, the medium of bringing considerable advantage to the well-being of our social economy, as it enables us to change fruit trees of a similar species, and which may only produce inferior sorts of fruit, into better kinds, without having to cause any material injury to the structural formation of the trees. There are several different methods by which the operation of engrafting may be accomplished, and which are well explained in books upon the subject. But it is my intention to speak of one of them only, and because after a long period of practical experience in the matter it has been found the moet simple, most effectual, and consequently the most satisfactory one. It may be said to become handy to anybody having an ordinary amount of intelligence ; and to those outside that line, let ifc be said for the trees, noli me tangere ! However, the reader must not here expect to read himself into the acquaintance with any novel and conceited nostrum upon the principles of engrafting; he is eimply requested to consider a modification of the old method known as " saddle-grafting," and to exercise his own good judgment upon its merits. Many of the Auckland nurserymen execute their engrafting work upon the " one splice," or what is technically termed "tongue grafting principle." This method may be the quickest to perform, but, certainly, it is not a tidy or a satisfactory manner of engrafting. This plan of merely sticking the scion against one side of the stock renders it a considerable time before the proper healing over process can be brought about; and besides, it leaves the wood of the stock unnecessarily exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and particularly is this the case when there exists a considerable difference between the size of the stock and scion. A junction by engrafting made after this fashion is at the best but a clumsy union, and which fact is quite well demonstrated by the one-sided and noduled appearance of the trees worked in this way for years after the engrafting had been dene. It is with the wish of trying to induce at least some amongst my readers to discard the above lazy manner of«engrafting their fruit trees that these few suggestions are offered upon the subject. And in order to give my readers a more tangible grasp of this matter I am sending with these details to the., learned demonstrator of this branch of science for the columns of the Weekly News a scion worked after the manner I am about to suggest, and requesting him to kindly favour us with his opinion upon it. It may interest my readers to learn that the above-mentioned scion was sent out from England last November by parcel post, and was worked upon a Prince Bismarck standard tree, and that it was culled from a seedling tree which was raised by the writer more than forty years ago. By the kind consideration of the worthy editor of the Weekly Nkws, it is my privilege to be able to present) to the readers of that very deservedly esteemed journal an engraving from the pencil of one of the clever artists of its staff—showing the formations of the stock and scion which I am about to describe.

[The engrafted branqb. above referred to was duly received, and though the union was only one season's growth, it was so complete as to present a smooth and uniformly even surface.—Ed.] The deviation from the well-known method called "saddle-grafting," which I would recommend, is as follows :—lnstead of sloping off the stock on both sides to a cunated point like a wedge, let it be sloped ononeside only, and this somewhat obtusely, as shown at Bin the engraving. The scion must, of course, be cut to fit the formation with one of its tongues truncated, C ; as the other tongue will be required of more length, in order to allow for its having to lap down over the sloped off portion of the stock, and to reach into the bark below D.

The scion is formed and affixed upon the stock in this manner :—With a email and sharp knife split tho scion up its centre to the length required for the longer tongue. Thin down as smoothly as possible the inner or wood sides of both tongues, tapering off their ends quite thin; that is, leaving only but a small portion of tho wood attached to the bark. Then bate off the bark at their points, say, an eighth of an inch back, so that the tongues may fit nicely between the wood and the bark of tho stock "to meet the sap." Make two lonethway incisions in the bark on eachside of the stock and quite opposite each other, about an inch and a quarter long, and only just wide enough apart to form two grooves to receive the tongues of the sckin. Carefully lift up the two incised strips of bark, and neatly place the tongues of the scion therein. See that the scion is affixed in an upright position, and take some wetted strips of matting or other suitable material and wind ifc around the stock and scion, bub not too tightly, beginning at tho base of the insertion, and winding the matting around in different directions till the sloped part of the stock is reached ; here, in passing the tying matter over the exposed portion of the mon'n tongue, give it one twist over each time in passing it around. This will keep the tying from slipping and also retain tho tongue of scion close down upon the sloped portion of the stock, and so bring about the perfect healing process 'quickly. Now apply grafting clay or wax, being careful not to displace any of the work which you have just performed, and you will have rightly accomplished this method of engrafting. Those persons who will oxecuto their engrafting after this manner will obtain these advantages: The main body of the bark of the stock is brought in direct contact with tho scion, bringing about the healing ovor process both quickly and completely, so much so that after the second year's growth the place of junction will scarcely bo perceptible, whereas ib often happens that when the stock is shaped after the cunated fashion tho bark is slipped from the sharply-pointed ends in working, causing it to lie back and look unsightly, besides taking several years for nature to repair the injury. This method of engrafting is equally applicable to largo stocks a# well as small ones, bub if a tidy junction ia desired tho stock should nob much exceed an inch and a quarter in diameter. Ninety-eight per cont. of the grafts worked upon this method can be counted upon to " tako," if the operator ia fitted for tho work.

The chief points to bo observed in the operation of engrafting are the proper " meeting of the sap," the firmly sustaining of tho scion in its place, and the exclusion of. tho air by moans of either claying or waxing over the place of union. Grafting should never be performed during tho prevalence of cold winds, nor before the gap has. cowlaoacwl t>9 circßiftteis^ly..

A strong growing scion should never be pub upon a weak stock, as ib would tend to overgrow the stock and look like the boss upon the turned leg of a table. As an old fruit-grower who has been privileged to grow many hundreds of tons of both apples and pears, and also to raise many thousands of the trees which produce those excellent kinds oE fruit, I may nob perhaps be thoughb out of proper order in offering to those persons who are interested in a similar line of industry this piece of advice: Never be persuaded into making the very greab mistake of planting in your orchards small apple or pear trees —that is, whilst the trees are in their tender wood ; no matter how great a specialist in this linPj may advise you otherwise. Remember that specialists, both in the professions as well as in the trades, are often found to be egotists who live upon the credulity of fools. Plainer going people have less effrontery, and will generally serve one better. If small fruit trees are planted it is a long while before they will bring any return to the planter. Young trees thab are titillated in the nurseries throw up clean and strong shoots for the first two seasons after engrafting, and ib is nob till after they shall have mado their hard or bearing wood that any correct estimate can be formed as to what will be their future habit of growth. Besides, when fruit trees are planted out in theirtender wood and have to rough it, as I may say, and should the cicada pinch them with its mandible, the prosperity-of such trees is almost destroyed; and the truth of this assertion can be attested by many a North of Auckland fruit-grower. Those persons who will put the above piece of advice into practise will become the possessors of better fruit trees than their neighbours, and will often think with gratitude upon the donor of the advice. Ib would be invidious in me to say thab good fruib trees cannot be grown by the subterfuge upon nature—root-grafting. However, the good results would depend upon the care bestowed upon the necessary distribution of their rootlets. If this essential is neglected fruit trees thus raised would carry in themselves the elements of their own destruction. And I must submit thab seedling raised stocks, when judiciously selected, hold much superiority over rootgrated ones in regard to their strong radicating properties, and which is the chief point to be sought for in good fruit trees. At the present time the writer has considerable trouble with root-grafted trees on account of their root weauness. No one having the proper regard for the attributes of truth and decency will deny this fact that he may go into almosb Mr. Anybody's orchard, and there find fruit trees which have taken three timee as long in becoming what they are, mere worthless scrubs, than it would have taken under a better principle to have raised in their stead really handsome and profitable trees. Should any sceptical one question this remark, here ia a ready medium by which he may rid himself of his ill-formed notions in this respect. Let him place upon good pear stocks, after the manner of engrafting which I have suggested, sciona of the pears known as the Sucre Vert, or the Beurre Clairgeau, and train them rightly. Bub ib may be said of these two pears, as of soma individuals, that they are not noted for their excellent qualities. However, they are vigorous growing kinds, and will, therefore, soon run up into grand trees. But as chacun , a son gout I will offer another pear to select from, the Gratioli de Jersey. It is not quite so brisk a grower as the two firsb-named, bub it is a beautiful russeted pear, having a sprightly flavour peculiarly its own. Now let him select eome of the slowergrowing, but really nice kinds of pears, and. engraft them upon similar stocks, or upon quince stocks should he prefer them, and also train these rightly, by these simple means he will be able to gain an insight into something which may be very useful for him to understand. The same principle also holds good in dealing with the different kinds of apples. The reader is requested to receive these few suggestions upon engrafting, etc., as the outcome of a long period of intimate experience in these matters; therefore they are I nob rendered upon the grounds of a mere speculative theory, nor has the writer any I personal considerations in presenting them. Moreover, they carry along with them this excellent commendation, that anyone can easily test their soundness within the precincts of his own garden. <^ The writer would also beg to say that he does not wish to intrude them,,upon the consideration of him whose mind is contented in the possession of fruit trees which will only produce him sufficient fruit of a season to nil up the pockets of his surtout coat, nor upon him who has schooled his tongue to coo at every suggestion offered to him, like the pigeon in the extract, but rather to the notice of those who are willing to gain useful information in the best amongst all of the schools of induction— thft, school of practical experience. •