In grafting young nursery trees not more than an inch in diameter, the whole tree is cut off at any distance from the ground convenient to the nurseryman.  Sometimes they are cut within a few inches of the ground, sometimes two or three feet.  In my work, I like to keep the scions as high above the ground as I can.  When the top of a stock is cut off, there is a great deal of sap pressure and the tree bleeds.  It is a poor policy to attempt grafting while this is happening.  Rather, one should cut the tops off, then wait for several days before inserting any grafts.  Tools must be kept very sharp.  A good grafting knife is sharpened on one side only, so that the blade is flat along the side which lies next to the cut made on the scion when it is trimmed.  If unaccustomed to handling a knife, one can obtain more accurate results by using a small plane.  I do this by holding the scion firmly in my right hand and pulling it toward me, against the cutting edge of the plane which is held in the left hand.  Illustrations show how this is done.

The only disadvantage in using a plane is that one must exchange it for a knife to make the receiving cut in the stock before inserting the graft.  This necessitates exposing the graft to the air for a longer time than does using a single instrument.

Spring budding is done during the same period as grafting.  Bud wood is usually much larger in diameter than scionwood, for it is easier to remove buds from big branches than from wood only one-quarter inch in diameter.  When budding is to be done, take along only enough wood for half a day’s work, leaving the rest safely stored.  A piece of wood having a bud is prepared as shown in the illustrations “A” and “B” (next page).  A T-shaped slot is made in the stock to receive the bud, a process called “shield budding.”  This is tied in place with either string, raffia or gummed tape, as shown in “C” and “D” (next page).  The bud must be free to grow, and although it may be covered completely with wax, no part of the binding material should be close to it.  Since it is not necessary to cut off all the tree in budding, enough of it may remain above the bud to brace the shoot that develops.  Later, it may be necessary to cut back the tree to the bud so that a callus will form and cause the wound to heal properly.

[Illustration:  Drwg by Wm. Kuehn Shield Budding.]

Best results are obtained when a graft union is coated with melted beeswax.  Another and cheaper wax may be made by combining four parts of rosin, one part of beeswax and one-sixteenth part of raw linseed oil.  To this is sometimes added a little lampblack to color the mixture so that it can be seen on the graft.  Again, care must be taken to prevent injuring the cells with wax that is too hot.

I have used many kinds of tying materials, but the one which gives me best results is gummed tape, which preparation I describe in another chapter.  By wrapping it in spirals around a graft union, I have a material which holds the graft in place and at the same time excludes air.  The rubber also seems to encourage the formation of that tissue which unites the stock and scion.  In addition to tape, melted wax should be brushed into those crevices and cracks which always occur in making a graft.