2357. Composition.—Resin 8 oz., beeswax, 3 oz.; melt up with lard, and work it like shoemaker's wax; for wounds made in pruning or grafting.
2358. Split the stock, drive in a wedge six or eight inches long, open the split so as to admit the graft freely; sharpen end of graft and insert, matching the wood of graft and wood of the stock; remove the wedge carefully, and cover smooth over with composition, tight, to exclude air, and the sap will force its way to the graft.
2359. Seed.—Select from healthy trees, sound, ripe and fair fruit, and place in sand, in a cellar or other cool, damp place, until time to plant. If kept too dry, they seldom vegetate. Let the soil be good, well worked, not too wet; cover up and press the ground moderately over. Plant in Fall, before the ground is frozen, or in Spring, soon as the ground can be worked.
2360. Soil.—Low, wet or marshy ground is not suitable. Soil appropriate for crops of grain, is also adapted to the cultivation of fruit trees, shrubs or vines. Occasional digging, mellowing the ground, keeping down underbrush and weeds, and manuring, are beneficial.
2361. Cleanliness is essential. Destroy all caterpillars, noxious worms and insects, and prune off all affected parts. Scrape off all rough, ragged bark and moss, and wash well with soap-suds or cover with a coat of limewash. Remove all suckers from the roots, side branches and excrescences.