freely enough to injure the scion or stock.

We have not experienced any serious difficulty from an extreme flow of
sap in pecan stocks, either in the North or South, but we have had
grafts set on the pignut hickory fail from this cause. The English
walnut may be budded with fair to good results, by the patch method, by
selecting good buds on the best matured, round growth, but to propagate
the tree economically and satisfactorily it is desirable to both bud and
graft, otherwise both stocks and scion wood are wasted.

TOP-WORKING LARGE WALNUT TREES

W. C. REED, VINCENNES, INDIANA

In top-working large native walnut trees to the Persian or English
walnut, the first operation is to cut the trees back severely. This
should be done while the trees are dormant, preferably in February or
early in March. Cut them back two feet or more above where you wish to
graft, then cut again to where you want them. This will avoid splitting.
Usually we cut back to where the limbs are from two to four inches in
diameter. We have cut some back that were six to eight inches with good
results. However, limbs this size require careful attention to avoid
decay as it takes so long for them to heal over.

_Scions for Grafting_

Scions for grafting should be cut while perfectly dormant and packed in
damp moss or sawdust, being careful not to have it too wet. Paper line
the boxes and place in a cool place. Cold storage is much better. Scions
cut during the winter and placed in cold storage will come out in good
shape for grafting in May, or budding during July or August. Where there
is danger of the wood being injured by cold weather it would be well to
cut scions in November, before severe cold.

_Time for Grafting_

Wait until the new growth is well advanced or nearly in full leaf, which
is about May 1 to 10, in this latitude.

_Methods_

Use either the wedge graft or the bark graft. We have had equally good
results with each. If any difference it is in favor of the side or bark
graft which we prefer because it does not split or mutilate the stock,
there is not the chance for decay, and the wounds heal over much
quicker. On limbs three to four inches in diameter put in three to four
grafts.

Cut the stubs back one to two inches below where they were cut when
dormant so you may have a fresh clean cut. Pare the rough bark off until
you have a fairly smooth surface for three inches below where the limbs
are cut off.