Top Grafting.



In grafting over apple and pear trees to some other variety, is it
advisable to cut off and graft the entire tree the first year where the
trees are from 7 to 15 years old, or would it be better to cut off only
a part of the top the first year and the rest the following year?

In the coast region it is a good practice to graft over the whole tree
at one time, cutting, however, above the forks and not into the main
stem below the forking. This gives many scions which seem able to take
care of the sap successfully. In the interior valleys, it is rather
better practice to leave a branch or two, cutting them out at the
following winter's pruning, for probably the first year's grafts will
give you branches enough. This has the effect of preventing the drowning
out of the scions from too strong sap-flow. Cutting back and regrafting
of old trees should be done rather early, before the most active
sap-flow begins. The later in the season the grafting is done, and the
warmer the locality, the more desirable it seems to be to leave a branch
or two when grafting.



Apple Budding.