Part 6

WALNUT GRAFTING

Walnut grafting is in a class by itself, and walnut budding is not a success as practiced at the present time, although the ordinary method is shown in the cut. The top grafting method shown is easy and sure if you have "the know-how and skill." One of the important things to remember in tree surgery as well as other kinds, is to work quickly and deftly. Don't let the wounds of the scion or stub remain exposed longer than necessary. Make the cuts smooth with a very sharp knife, kept sharp by frequent "stropping.'" Expert walnut grafters are few, but the ordinary skillful orchardist or amateur can do fairly successful work by a study of the drawings in "Details of Walnut Grafting" on next page, and using common sense methods.

Cut off the branch or stock to be grafted with a sharp priming saw at a point where the stump will be from one to two and a half inches in diameter. Split through the center of the stub with a sharp knife as shown in figure 1, using a mallet. Depress the point of the splitting knife and strike with the mallet, cutting the bark and sap down the side of the stub instead of tearing it, then depress the handle and cut down the other side in the same way. Open the split slightly with a hardwood wedge, as in figure 2. Slightly bevel the split, cutting upward, with a sharp knife as in figure 3. Insert the carefully fitted scion as at figure 4, being careful to have the cambium layer, the inner layer of the bark, of both stub and scion come together.

When the scion is carefully fitted remove the wedge and fill the split with paper as shown at figure 5. Then cover all wounds over with wax brushed on warm as at figure 6. The melted wax should be about the consistency of thick honey. Tie a paper sack over all as at figure 7. This should remain until scions begin to grow. It keeps them warm and prevents drying out by hot winds. In from ten days to three weeks the scions will have started sufficient to gradually remove the cover as at figure 8. In eight or ten days from the time grafts are set a small opening should be cut or torn in the north side of the paper sack so that the sprouting buds may have air and their growth noted.

When the stock is too large to split through the center it should be split to one side of center as shown in figure 9. The method of shaping the scions is shown in figures 10, 11 and 12. Good scions and poor are shown in 13 and 14. Scions with buds not too far apart are best. Prong grafting is shown in figures 15 to 18, and flute budding in 19 and 20.

In grafting the stock should not close on the scion with sufficient force to bruise or injure it, but just tight enough to hold.

Scions should be of last year's wood and pruned or cut from the trees in late winter, when the tree is dormant, and cut into about 12-inch lengths, long enough to make three or four grafts. Select upright wood. Drooping branches make a sprawling and sometimes a barren tree.

The dormant scions should be packed away in a cool, dark cellar in damp sand or moss, or put in cold storage and kept dormant until ready for use. Do not allow the buds to swell. It will be well to look at them occasionally to see that they do not get too dry nor be so damp as to mold.

In the spring when the sap is well up and the trees to be grafted have sprouted and are growing during April and May the grafting should be done. Work may be continued even after the catkins are out and the leaves half grown.

The methods described are those practiced by Mr. George C. Payne, probably the most successful walnut grafter in the business.

Plate One. Furnished by Oregon Agricultural College]

GRAFTING WAX

The following formula is the grafting wax used by Mr. Payne:

Rosin, 5 pounds. Beeswax, 1 pound. Finely pulverized charcoal. 1-2 pound. Raw linseed oil, 1 gill

Be sure that the charcoal is finely pulverized. First melt the beeswax and rosin, being careful not to have the fire too hot. Add the charcoal, stirring constantly, and then add the oil. Mould into bricks by pouring into greased pans. When desiring to use break off a few lumps and melt in such a contrivance as is shown in the plate of grafting tools. The wax must be quite liquid if applied successfully.

Nursery grafting, or root grafting, is not a success as practiced at present. The best grafters do not succeed with more than 10 to 15 per cent. This makes the grafted tree cost from $1.50 to $2.00 per tree, and makes that kind of walnut planting expensive. However, Col. Dosch, in his article, quotes Professor Leckenby, the noted agrostologist, as saying that if directions are religiously followed ninety per cent of the grafts will grow. The directions are as follows:

"For walnut grafts on scions use one gallon of water with four teaspoonfuls of sulphate of quinine. Cut scions submerged in the solution, and wash the cut on tree at once, to prevent it from turning black, acting as an antiseptic; then insert, the scion as on other fruit trees."

This, from such authority, is worthy of a trial. A great amount of experimenting has been done in walnut grafting and a way to success will be found.

BEST STOCK ON WHICH TO GRAFT

Mr. Burbank, Judge Leib, and George C. Payne, all of California, think the California black or some of its hybrids make the best stock in California. Mr. Groner prefers the hybrid for Oregon.

Mr. A. McGill, of Oregon, thinks that neither the California black nor its hybrid are suited to this climate. Few have had more experience, costly experience at that, than Mr. McGill. He thinks the American black better for Oregon.

It is sometimes asked, why not plant seedling walnuts and top work those that are not good bearers? Because the grafts will not do so well on the English stock as on the black; and it is also found that the English stock does not make as good a foundation as the black.

Therefore, the best growers in Oregon conclude that the seed from a thrifty American Black, or close hybrid, is best for this state. In three or four years after planting cut off the trunk about as high as a man's waist or shoulder and put in the graft from the best variety available. The third year from setting of the graft you will have a crop of nuts.

Mr. Payne can set 250 to 300 grafts in a day. His wages are $8 a day, and he furnishes the wood. So you see that your trees would cost very little. Good black walnut seed can be had very cheap, probably at a cost of 50 cents to $1 per bushel, the Oregon product preferred.

Some of the California hybrids make rapid growth, but too rapid growth of wood may not be desirable. It may mean early maturity and early decay, and too few walnut bearing boughs.

GOOD PLAN FOR WALNUT ORCHARD

(3)---------<1>---------(3)---------<1>---------(3) | \ : / | \ : / | | \ : / | \ : / | | \ : / | \ : / | | \ : / | \ : / | | \ : / | \ : / | <1>.........(2).........<1>.........(2).........<1> | / : \ | / : \ | | / : \ | / : \ | | / : \ | / : \ | | / : \ | / : \ | | / : \ | / : \ | (3)---------<1>---------(3)---------<1>---------(3) | \ : / |\ : / | | \ : / |<.\.......6:0....../..>| | \ : / | \ : / | | \ : / | \ : / | | \ : / | \ : / | <1>.........(2).........<1>.........(2).........<1> | / : \ | / : \ | | / : \ | / : \ | | / : \ | / : \ | | / : \ | / : \ | |/ : \ | / : \ | (3)---------<1>---------(3)--30 ft--<1>--30 ft--(3)

Mr. Prince, of Yamhill county, has modified his views somewhat in regard to the grafted and seedling trees. He thinks that possibly the permanent orchard should be of the grafted variety, possibly on the Royal or California hybrid of rapid growth. He proposes the above form of an orchard. The principal grafted trees should be placed in square form 60 feet apart, represented by figures 3. In the center of these squares at figures 2 he would either plant the same trees or some other seedling variety which will bring the trees about 42 feet apart. Midway between the main grafted trees he would plant other trees, or apple trees, represented by figures 1 in the little squares. This would make trees 30 feet apart. At the end of 15 or 20 years, when the trees possibly become crowded, he would remove the No. 1 trees. If this were an apple tree, it would already have served its best days and no great loss would be had by its removal. At the end of 25 or 30 years we would remove No. 2, if the trees became crowded, leaving a permanent orchard of trees 60 feet apart, 12 trees to the acre. This is an excellent arrangement, and no doubt about the best that has yet been proposed for walnut culture in Oregon.