CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - Pole Shift Survival Information

162 THE NURSERY-MANUAL
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“The ragged edges of the bark around the wound are cut back to live
tissue (Fig. 191 13). At the points above and below the wound where each
cion is to be inserted, the bark is slit about one-half or three-quarters of
an inch. The cion should be about one and one-half inches longer than
the space to he abridged, and is beveled on each end with a straight cut
about an inch long. This beveling exposes considerable cambium layer
and facilitates the insertion of the eion under the bark and against the
camhium layer of the stock. The bark at the slit below the wound is
loosened with the knife, and the lower end of the rion is inserted with the
cut side next to the wood of the tree. In order that the cambium layers
of cion and stock may be held in close contact, a brad is driven through
the end of the rion into the tree. The slit at the upper edge of the wound
is then loosened and the &her end of the rion inserted and nailed. When
the bridging is completed, the area about the ends of the cions is carefully
ivnxecl to prevent drying out and possible infection and to exclude
air and moisture. In some cases it may be advisable to wrap the parts
where the (*ions are inserted with bandage or raffia to insure their being
held in place. For a tree with a trunk one and a half inches or less in
diameter, usually three c*ions in the bridge are enough. With each inch
added to the diameter, at least one cion should be added to the bridge.
“If the princ4l)lc~ that the caml)ium layers of stock and cion should come
in contact is carefully c*arried out, other forms of bridge-grafting may be
used with S~CYYSS. One of these is illustrated in Fig. 191 C’. Here ruts
are made al)out half an inch above and below the girdle through the bark
into the sapwood, tllus cautting across the rambium layer. The rions for
this bridge arp n&r very much as those previously described. They are
inserted, nailed, and waxed in a similar way. Still another method of
bridge-grafting, wllic*ll some growers have found very satisfactory, is
illustrated in Fig. 191 11. The cambium layer of the stock is exposed
by cutting uut pieces of bark above and below the girdle, corresponding
accurately in size with the ends of the cion to be inserted. The cions
are cut as shown in Fig. l!Il II and are nailed and waxed as in the method
already described.
“Bridge-grafting may be used on any of the orchard fruit trees grown
in Ntlw York State. More damage by girdling is probably done on apple
and pear trees than on any other fruits; however plum, cherry and peach
trees are often irljurrtl, and bridge-grafting, which is the only method of
saving tIleill, is ~41 \Vortli trial. It is advisable to replace very young
trees unless the girdled portion is far enough above the root system to
permit of cleft-grafting in the trunk just below the girdle. If bridgegrafting
is skillfully done, and the bridged portion carefully attended