Class 
 Book 
 
 SRf if , 
 
 C&f. 
 
 Copyright^ . 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 
 
CLEFT GRAFTING 
 
 CHARLES O. COUTS, 
 
 NEWCOMERSTOWN, OHIO. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 FIRST EDITION. 
 
 1910. 
 

 
 "COPYRIGHT, 1910, 
 
 by 
 
 CHARLES O. GOUTS.* 
 
 ©CI.A261618 
 
PREFACE 
 
 "Come, let us plant the apple tree. 
 Cleave the tough greensward with the spade ; 
 Wide let its hollow bed be made ; 
 There gently lay the roots, and there 
 Sift the dark mold with kindly care, 
 And press it o'er them tenderly." 
 
 THE apple is one of our oldest and 
 best fruits. It is mentioned in the 
 Bible, and by Herodotus and Pliny, and 
 other ancient writers. Whatever be its 
 parent country, it was doubtless of east- 
 ern origin. Many varieties were culti- 
 vated about Rome, and they usually bore 
 the names of those who originated or 
 grafted them. Probably the Romans in- 
 troduced the apple into England as well 
 as the year, but the early chronicles are 
 silent as to its subsequent history in that 
 country until after the establishment of 
 Christianity, when the monks and heads 
 of religious houses planted orchards, and 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 henceforth the fruit became common. 
 The early settlers of America brought 
 apple trees over with them, and an island 
 in Boston harbor where they were first 
 planted still bears their name. The In- 
 dians helped to spread the fruit through 
 the country, and Indian orchards were 
 common throughout New England. The 
 first nurseries in the Ohio Valley were 
 planted by John Chapman, familiarly 
 known as "Johnny Appleseed," who 
 spent several years of his life in that 
 business. 
 
 New and choice varieties of apples 
 are obtained by planting the seed, and 
 only about one in 10,000 of the resulting 
 trees will prove better than the original ; 
 hence when a desirable kind is once ob- 
 tained it can be continued or reproduced 
 by grafting. The apple tree is slow in 
 growth, and its fruitage can be obtained 
 much quicker by grafting than in any 
 other way, as the grafting of new and 
 
Preface. 
 
 vigorous stock on the parent tree seems 
 to impart new vigor and vitality. 
 
 The apple has now become of great 
 commercial importance. Its juice and 
 pulp are known to be healthy and nutri- 
 tious, and the constantly increasing de- 
 mand and high prices paid for choice 
 varieties have stimulated fruit-raisers to 
 bestow more care and attention on their 
 orchards than formerly. Science and ex- 
 perience have taught the fruit grower 
 that he cannot any more expect to gather 
 fine fruit from old, stunted and worthless 
 trees than he can expect to gather grapes 
 from thorns or figs from thistles. 
 
 As the author resides in a fruit grow- 
 ing district and shares in the common in- 
 terest felt in fruit growing, and believing 
 that cleft grafting is the surest and most 
 expeditious way of producing good fruit, 
 he has thought that that branch of the 
 subject, if clearly explained and illus- 
 trated, might be of practical benefit to 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 fruit growers. This consideration has 
 induced him to embody the results of his 
 observation and experience in this little 
 book, which is now submitted for their 
 perusal. If it shall contribute in any 
 way to promote its object the purpose of 
 the author will be fully attained. 
 
 Charles O. Couts. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Preliminary Remarks 9 
 
 Uses and Objects of Grafting 11 
 
 Kinds of Cleft Grafting 14 
 
 Double Grafting 14 
 
 Plants That Unite by Grafting 15 
 
 Cleft Grafting 17 
 
 Grafting Knife (illustrated) 21 
 
 Making the Cleft (illustrated) 23 
 
 Wedge Inserted in Cleft (illustrated) 25 
 
 Scions (illustrated) 27 
 
 Scions Inserted in Cleft (illustrated).... 29 
 
 Stock Holding Scions in Place (illust'ed) 31 
 
 Stock Waxed (illustrated) 33 
 
 Pruning Saw (illustrated) 35 
 
 When to Graft 37 
 
 When to Cut Scions 38 
 
 Grafting Wax 40 
 
 Home Grown Apple Seedlings 41 
 
 Orchard Suggestions 42 
 
 Pruning 46 
 
Preliminary Remarks. 
 
 NOTHING is as valuable as practical 
 experience, but a man cannot afford 
 to spend his life in making experiments 
 that other men have made before him 
 and the results of which he should know. 
 The propagation of fruit is its reproduc- 
 tion by natural or artificial means. 
 
 A knowledge of these means is of great 
 importance to agriculturists of all classes, 
 and especially to those engaged in the 
 raising of different fruits. 
 
 There are, for instance, so many bene- 
 fits to be gained by the local production 
 of nursery stock that fruit growers can- 
 not afford to neglect this art. 
 
 Scions from trees thoroughly ac- 
 climated can be obtained; the young 
 stock will not be forced to suffer the 
 shock of a long transportation and a 
 change of climate, and the orchardist can 
 have his trees grown from scions of his 
 favorite trees. 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 Cleft-grafting is such a simple process 
 when one understands it that it is strange 
 why more of the seedling trees and un- 
 desirable varieties are not changed to 
 profitable ones. 
 
 Often the natural growing trees of a 
 locality can be utilized for that purpose. 
 
 For example, the best plum trees for 
 certain localities are obtained by top- 
 working the common wild plum. And 
 the native chestnuts make the best stocks 
 upon which to graft such improved va- 
 rieties as Paragon or Humbo. 
 
 Slender growing varieties of apples, 
 such as Wealthy, Oldenburg, Gill or 
 Esopus, make a more vigorous growth 
 when top-worked upon some more 
 growthy varieties. 
 
 If the grafting is properly done the 
 cambium cells, or callus spreads outward 
 and covers the wound, making a firm 
 union. 
 
 10 
 
Uses and Objects of Grafting. 
 
 GRAFTING serves a variety of pur- 
 poses, among which are : 
 
 To change the size of trees, to make 
 them more dwarf. 
 
 To restore lost or defective branches. 
 
 To save girdled trees. 
 
 To change an undesirable or unknown 
 variety into one or more desirable ones. 
 
 To oreserve and multiply varieties that 
 cannot be preserved or multiplied by 
 growing them from their seeds. 
 
 To hasten the flowering or fruiting of 
 seedlings grown with a view to improv- 
 ing varieties ; in this way new varieties 
 may be developed. 
 
 To avoid insect injury to the trunk or 
 roots, as in grafting the peach on the 
 plum, or the European grape on the 
 American. 
 
 Wild grape vines may be grafted by 
 sawing off the stock near the ground and 
 inserting scions in the cleft. 
 
 11 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 Wet clay should be banked over end of 
 stock after it is waxed. 
 
 Our improved varieties make a very 
 heavy growth if grafted on a strong root. 
 
 This applies to most varieties of fruit. 
 If they are seedlings we are uncertain 
 what kind of trees we shall have. 
 
 For this reason grafting is often re- 
 sorted to as more expedient in changing 
 to a desirable variety than growing new 
 trees. 
 
 Very often there are desirable varieties 
 of fruit in localities, which we are unable 
 to obtain from nurseries, hence we must 
 resort to grafting to preserve them. 
 
 Some varieties will not do well on their 
 own roots in certain soils. 
 
 They may not be adapted to the soil ; 
 this may be overcome by grafting them 
 upon the kind which does well in that 
 region. 
 
 Have not many trees which have been 
 purchased of nurseries proved to be un- 
 
 12 
 
Uses and Objects of Grafting. 
 
 profitable, either from not being adapted 
 to the locality, or by not being true to 
 name? Why not graft them with fruit 
 of your own choice, from your own or 
 your neighbor's orchard? The task is 
 neither diffcult nor requires much time. 
 
 If you depend on some one to do your 
 grafting you may not get it done at the 
 best time or in the best way. You can do 
 it while you wait. 
 
 A top-grafted tree will bear in three or 
 four years, if thrifty, and three or more 
 inches in diameter at but when grafted. 
 
 There are few orchards that have not 
 a number of such trees which should be 
 grafted. 
 
 Top-working undesirable trees with a 
 good variety is a paying investment. 
 
Kinds of Cleft Grafting. 
 
 THERE are four different methods of 
 cleft-grafting, according to the po- 
 sition of the scions on the tree, to-wit : 
 
 First. If on the root, it is called root- 
 grafting. 
 
 Second. At the surface of the ground, 
 crown-grafting. 
 
 Third. On the stem, the scions may 
 be set anywhere along the steam and it is 
 stem-grafting. 
 
 Fourth. In the top or branches of the 
 tree, top-grafting. 
 
 Double Grafting. 
 
 Double-grafting is grafting upon a 
 grafted tree and is used to secure a top 
 which will not unite with the root, which 
 some other variety will. 
 
 Double-grafting may also be used to 
 secure some characteristic of root trunk 
 or framework. 
 
 14 
 
Plants That Unite by Grafting. 
 
 N 
 
 OT all fruits can be intergrafted. 
 There must be a relation between 
 stock and scion. 
 
 In general plants of the same species 
 but of different varieties may be inter- 
 grafted, as any variety of apple, plum or 
 pear, upon another. (Which is- most 
 commonly practiced.) 
 
 Plants of the same genus but of dif- 
 ferent species will almost always unite 
 also. 
 
 The apple, pear and quince, or the 
 cherry, plum and peach may be inter- 
 grafted. 
 
 And sometimes plants of different 
 genera may be grafted together, as ap- 
 ples or pears on thorns, or oak on chest- 
 nut ; also occasionally plants of different 
 families are made to unite. 
 
 The apparent resemblance of two 
 plants of different species is not always 
 evidence that they will unite. 
 
 15 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 Many plants unite freely when grafted 
 in one direction, that fail to unite when 
 worked in the opposite direction. 
 
 The only certain way to determine 
 what plants will unite is by careful trials. 
 
 16 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 THE following explanation of graft- 
 ing is intended to aid the amateur 
 rather than the expert. 
 
 The limb to be grafted is sawed off 
 squarely and split in the center (care 
 should be taken that the bark be not 
 loosened from any portion of the stock 
 when sawing it off), the cleft being made 
 two or three inches long, according to 
 the size of the stock and scions. 
 
 This is best made with the knife shown 
 (see cut, page 21), specially made for 
 this purpose. 
 
 No mallet is needed ; the cleft can be 
 easily made with the knife (see cut, 
 page 23). The wedge, which is on the 
 end of the stem, can be inserted in the 
 center of the cleft to hold it open (see 
 cut, page 25). 
 
 Cut the scions with two buds on each, 
 and cut their bases to a sharp, even 
 wedge, slightly thicker at the outside 
 
 17 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 ( see cut, page 27, Fig". 1 ) . ( Fig. 2 is in- 
 side of scion.) It is a good plan to cut 
 the scions so that the lowest bud will 
 come just at the top of this wedge, in 
 order that it be near the top of the stock. 
 
 This wedge should be at least an inch 
 long; now insert in the cleft (see cut, 
 page 29), so that the thick side of the 
 wedge is to the outside and that it sets 
 just a trifle within the cleft, as the bark 
 is thickest on the stock, and this will 
 bring the cambium layers in contact, 
 which is the particular part of grafting. 
 The sap of the scion and stock must be 
 put together. See that all the cut surface 
 of the scions is within the cleft. 
 
 Carefully remove the wedge ; the 
 spring of the stock will hold the scions 
 firmly in place (see cut, page 31). Wax 
 the end of the stock carefully about the 
 base of the scions and down the edges of 
 the cleft, covering all cut surfaces (see 
 cut, page 33). 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 If the tree is too large to graft when 
 standing on the ground, get in the top 
 and go out on the limbs where they are 
 about one or one and a half inches in 
 diameter and saw them off. 
 
 About half of the top should be 
 grafted. 
 
 The more or less horizontal branches 
 should generally be selected for grafting. 
 
 Choose the smoothest limbs, omitting 
 the less thrifty inside branches, and be- 
 ing careful to leave enough limbs to keep 
 up the growth of the tree. 
 
 When the limbs to be grafted are 
 sawed off, a number of scions may then 
 be trimmed ready for use. 
 
 Commence setting scions in the top to 
 avoid displacing them. 
 
 As growth starts, sucker sprouts from 
 the stock must be lopped off at intervals 
 during the summer to. throw growth into 
 scions. 
 
 Each spring following, cut thrifty 
 
 19 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 growing scions back about half way, for 
 two or more years. 
 
 The spring following the grafting, all 
 of the branches left on the tree when 
 grafted should be sawed off, to encour- 
 age growth of the scions. 
 
 But if the tree is large and a vigorous 
 variety, it is wise to leave a part of these 
 branches until the second spring. 
 
 With a little practice any one can learn 
 how to proceed for the best results. 
 
 A man must use his own judgment to 
 suit each case, from his general knowl- 
 edge of tree growth. 
 
 If both the scions in a branch or stock 
 grow, the weaker one should be sawed 
 off later, when the stock is healed over. 
 
 An eighteen-inch pruning saw should 
 be used for sawing off the stock or limbs 
 which are to be grafted. (See cut, 
 page 35-) 
 
 20 
 
Grafting Knife (patented) 
 
 N 
 
 21 
 
Making the Cleft. 
 
Wedge Inserted in Cleft. 
 
 25 
 
Scions. 
 
 27 
 
Scions Inserted in Cleft. 
 
 29 
 
Stock holding Scions in Place. 
 
 31 
 
Stock Waxed. 
 
 33 
 
Pruning Saw. 
 
 35 
 
 
When to Graft. 
 
 THE grafting of plum, cherry, pear, 
 apple and similar trees, can be clone 
 successfully any time from March until 
 June, but during warm days in April 
 when the buds begin to swell is prefer- 
 able. 
 
 It is usually most successful when 
 performed just before or during the re- 
 sumption of active growth in spring. 
 
 This occurs early in the plum and 
 cherry and later in the pear and apple. 
 
 The operation depends upon the fact 
 that two live portions of cambium from 
 trees closely related will unite when 
 placed in intimate relation with each 
 other, and the shoot growing from the 
 scion thus inserted is of the same kind as 
 the tree from which the scion was taken. 
 
 Trees should be grafted as soon as 
 they are known to be not what is wanted. 
 
 Small trees from two to four inches in 
 diameter at but aie much easier grafted 
 than larger ones, and usually give better 
 results. 
 
 ^7 
 
When to Cut Scions. 
 
 SCIONS are usually cut in February 
 or March, during mild weather when 
 they are not frozen ; they should be 
 labeled and stored away until needed for 
 use, in a cool cellar, packed in moist saw- 
 dust, moss or leaves. 
 
 It will do in some seasons as late as 
 the middle of April, any time before the 
 buds swell much. 
 
 Some prefer cutting them in the fall, 
 after the leaves have fallen, but before 
 severe freezing begins. 
 
 They should not be left so moist as to 
 cause swelling of the buds or the forma- 
 tion of callus, nor so dry as to cause 
 shriveling. 
 
 They should be taken from trees of 
 known good qualities ; some bear better 
 fruit than others of the same variety, and 
 by grafting from these peculiar trees we 
 may greatly improve well known varie- 
 ties. 
 
When to Cut Scions. 
 
 Thrifty growths of the previous year 
 should be cut, as shown by the color of 
 the bark, and the last ring denoting the 
 position of last year's bud scales. Avoid 
 water sprouts and weak growths in se- 
 lecting scions. 
 
 It is best to take them from the top of 
 the tree, taking only the largest shoots 
 and discarding the tops of these. 
 
 39 
 
Grafting Wax. 
 
 THIS wax is prepared as follows : 
 Take seven parts rosin, by weight; 
 five parts yellow beeswax, by weight ; 
 three parts tallow, by weight. Put rosin 
 and beeswax in a vessel with some water, 
 and boil slowly until all is melted. Then 
 add the tallow and continue to boil slow- 
 ly until it foams and begins to raise in 
 the vessel (stirring all the time), then 
 pour into a vessel of cold water, and in 
 a few moments it can be thoroughly 
 worked with the hands by greasing them 
 with a little tallow. 
 
 Some prefer getting leaf tallow and 
 rendering it themselves to have it fresh. 
 
 If a harder wax is wanted use 
 
 Ten parts rosin 8 
 
 Five parts beeswax. ... 4 
 Two parts tallow 2 
 
 Caution — Be careful not to allow it to 
 boil over as it is verv inflammable. 
 
 40 
 
Home Grown Apple Seedlings. 
 
 IF you wish to grow apple seedlings, get 
 pomace from the cider mill when it 
 comes from the press. If it heats the 
 seeds will not grow. Open trenches in 
 well prepared soil with a shovel plow 
 about three feet apart. Scatter the 
 pomace thickly in the rows and cover 
 very lightly, or take fresh pomace, pre- 
 ferably of Philip Sweet or Northern Spy 
 apples, they being the most thrifty. Wash 
 the seeds free and put them in an earthen 
 jar and set in cellar, taking care to keep 
 them moist and not to allow them to be- 
 come dry or to mold. By early garden 
 making time sow in rows convenient for 
 cultivation. 
 
 41 
 
Orchard Suggestions. 
 
 THE apple is the leading money-mak- 
 ing orchard crop of America, the 
 fruit of fruits. 
 
 There is never an over-supply of good 
 apples. The over-supply is of poor fruit. 
 
 It generally takes a young apple or- 
 chard from six to twelve years, accord- 
 ing to variety, before profitable returns 
 can be obtained, but when once bearing it 
 will bring good returns for many years. 
 
 Select the best paying varieties and not 
 have too many kinds. 
 
 There are hundreds of varieties of 
 apples. 
 
 You can have varieties that ripen con- 
 tinuously, from the earliest to the latest. 
 
 One of the most important features in 
 starting a first-class apple orchard is to 
 select the varieties best suited to your lo- 
 cality. 
 
 It is not advisable to plant a solid block 
 
 42 
 
Orchard Suggestions. 
 
 of one variety ; some varieties are self- 
 fertile and will give satisfactory results 
 if planted alone ; but it is safer to pro- 
 vide for cross-fertilization by planting at 
 least every third or fourth row with a 
 different variety. 
 
 The fruit grower or general farmer 
 usually buys his stock from a nursery al- 
 ready grafted, but many fruit growers 
 claim that in planting an apple orchard 
 much better results may be obtained by 
 setting out good, thrifty trees and top- 
 working them, than by planting the de- 
 sired varieties as they come from the 
 nursery. There are several reasons for 
 this. One is that some varieties are made 
 more hardy. Some kinds, for instance, 
 are subject to a disease which attacks 
 the trees near the roots and kills them. 
 By grafting such a variety on vigorous, 
 hardy stock a strong body is secured 
 which is immune to the disease. Much 
 longer lived trees are thus obtained. 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 Another advantage is that we get trees 
 that are earlier in coming into bearing 
 than by taking them as they come from 
 the nursery. 
 
 Some trees commence bearing at an 
 earlier age than others of the same va- 
 riety ; some have fruit of a better qual- 
 ity ; some are more vigorous than others, 
 and more symmetrical in form. 
 
 By taking scions from a tree pos- 
 sessing the most perfect qualities in all 
 of these particulars, and working them 
 onto stock that is hardy and vigorous, we 
 are combining the most essential charac- 
 teristics and are certain to secure the 
 most desirable trees obtainable. 
 
 In working over trees in large quanti- 
 ties, as nurserymen do, it is hardly feasi- 
 ble for them to select all of their scions 
 with the necessary care and discrimina- 
 tion, and were one of them to undertake 
 to do this he would necessarily be obliged 
 to demand a higher price for his trees, 
 
 44 
 
Orchard Suggestions, 
 
 and then the fellow who sold his trees at 
 the lowest price would capture the sales 
 regardless of quality or pedigree. 
 
 Farmers should give more attention 
 to the planting and care of their or- 
 chards. No fruit known can take the 
 place of the apple as a food product. 
 
 In its numerous varieties, its seasons 
 of maturity extend throughout the year. 
 
 As a culinary fruit few equals and 
 none excels it. 
 
 The apple is the finest and most useful 
 fruit grown and deserves and will well 
 repay all the care given it. 
 
 45 
 
Pruning. 
 
 PRUNING should be done toward the 
 end of the dormant period, in early 
 spring, because healing- is most rapid at 
 the beginning of the growing season. 
 
 The wounds dry and check when the 
 pruning is done before severe freezing is 
 over, and pruning when the leaves are 
 on, or when the trees are in bloom, will 
 induce fruitfulness for the present year 
 at the expense of the tree. Either ex- 
 treme is robbing the tree of much vital- 
 ity, except when rejuvenating old or- 
 chards. 
 
 Before commencing to prune a tree an 
 experienced primer will look it over and 
 adapt his methods to the needs of that 
 particular tree and decide what treatment 
 it needs. 
 
 We should get it fixed in our minds 
 why we prune. We prune to modify the 
 vigor of the plant, to produce larger and 
 
 46 
 
Pruning. 
 
 better fruit, to train the tree to some de- 
 sired form. 
 
 The habit of the tree must be taken 
 into consideration when pruning, and 
 such pruning given as will retain the 
 natural habit of the tree and remedy its 
 defects. 
 
 If heavy pruning is practiced at long 
 intervals, the balance between root and 
 top is disturbed, the roots supplying 
 more food than the top can utilize, hence 
 water sprouts are formed. Light prun- 
 ing every year does not do this. 
 
 The annual trimming of fruit trees will 
 stimulate the growth of fruit spurs and 
 off trees can be made to bear more regu- 
 larly. 
 
 Trees expected to support heavy crops 
 of fruit or to endure high winds, should 
 have branches developed with special 
 reference to strength. Several small 
 branches are better able to endure the 
 strain than a few large ones. 
 
 47 
 
Cleft Grafting. 
 
 Heading-in or cutting-back induces 
 fruitfulness by checking long growth and 
 causing the formation of short lateral 
 fruit-bearing branches. 
 
 The greatest mistake in pruning is 
 usually made in cutting off the branch. 
 It is invariably cut too far from its 
 origin. The cut should be made as close 
 as possible to the trunk of the tree. 
 
 A wound at this point will be larger, 
 but will heal over sooner ; food in pass- 
 ing the cambium layer is constantly pass- 
 ing the wound and pushes out callus 
 over it. 
 
 All limbs cut off that are two inches or 
 more in diameter should be painted with 
 white lead and oil, about twice the con- 
 sistency of house paint. 
 
 48 
 
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