The Pecan and its Culture

by H. Harold Hume

The use of these buds has not, however, come into general use; first, because of the large amount of wood which must be destroyed to secure them; and second, because in those sections where bud-worms are prevalent, their larvæ are to be found clustered about the buds until quite late in the season and make their attack as soon as the bud starts to grow.

Mr. E. W. Kirkpatrick,[K] McKinney, Texas, described a method successfully used by him, as follows:

"We prepare the stock to receive the bud by cutting out a section of bark and wood as shown in Fig. 22. The bud is cut from the scion in the same way the cut on the stock is made. It should be about the same length, width, thickness and shape of the bark removed from the stock (see Fig. 22), so that the bud will fit the stock. * * * * The bud should be firmly tied until growth begins, usually about twenty-five days, when the string should be cut and the stock also cut just above the bud. * * * All shoots must be kept rubbed off so as to give the buds the right of way. The small buds about the base of the scions or those on the two-year-old wood are preferred. Where the buds are small and in a cluster, several may be included in one set and the thinning done after the growth starts."

Fig. 22. Chip Budding. Bud cut; Incision made; Bud in place.

Grafting.

Cleft Grafting. Having selected the branch for cleft grafting and the point at which the scions are to be inserted, the branch should be carefully and smoothly cut off. The limb is then split by using the grafting iron. If rapid work is to be done, grafts should be prepared beforehand and carried to the field, wrapped in damp paper. In preparing the scion, a sloping cut should be made about one and one-half inches long, cutting into the pith from a point one-half way up the cut down to the lower end. On the opposite side, the cut should not be made to touch the pith, but should be confined to woody tissue throughout its whole length. The knife should have a keen, sharp edge. The cut should be clean, smooth and straight, and the scion should be left wider on the outer side. Start the cuts on each side of, and just at a bud, as shown in Fig. 23. Having made the cleft, it is opened with the wedge on the end of the grafting iron and the scion is placed in position. The cambium layers should be in contact. Slip the scion well down until the whole of the cut surface is within the cleft. If the stock is large enough insert two scions. After inserting the scion it should be firmly held in place by binding the stocks with strips of waxed cloth, after which a covering of wax may be placed over the cloth. The cut end of the stock should be covered, and if the scion be other than a terminal shoot, its distal end should be waxed also.

Fig. 23.
Cleft Grafting. 1. Scion. 2. Scion inserted ready for tying. 3. Stock showing cleft.