Japanese Art of Miniature Trees and Landscapes. Giovanna M. Halford

Mid-March Oshima cherry Cherry Late February to mid-March Trifoliata citron Citrus family Late April to early May Black pine Five-needle pine Late February to early March Peach Plum Peach Mid-March Pear Pear Early March Persimmon Dwarf persimmon Persimmon Late March to early April Japanese flowering apricot (ume) Japanese flowering apricot Early to mid-March Wisteria Wisteria Early to mid-March

      Fig. 3. — Top grafting (five-needle pine onto black pine). A) Prepared scion, 2 views. 1) Knife-cut stem. 2) Knife-cut needles. 3) Knife-trim stem. B) Preparing stock. 4) First scissor-cut and then knife-cut smooth. 5) Knife-cut cleft. C) Inserting scion in stock, 3 views. D) Bound graft. E) After 2-3 mos.

      There are a number of grafting methods. Two principal methods-top and side grafting-are described below in detail. See also Figs. 3-7 and Plates 18-25.

      Top grafting (Fig. 3). This method is particularly suitable for pines and is the easier of the two. The stock should not be thicker than a pencil and the top is cut off straight across, leaving four or five bunches of needles adhering to the stem. The stock is then split down the middle with a sharp knife to the depth of about half an inch. The scion should be about an inch long and, if possible, of the same thickness as the stock. The lower end is cut into a wedge which will fit into the split in the stock, approximately a third of an inch each of bare stem and needles remaining above this point. If, when the scion is inserted into the stock, it is found to be slightly smaller, it must be placed to one side so that one edge of the bark of the scion is flush with the bark of the stock. The needles are all gathered up together and the graft bound with raffia (this must be removed at the end of the year) or rice straw (this need not be removed, as it will decay naturally). The plant is then put in a shady place, protected from the wind, for two weeks, after which its care is the same as for ordinary bonsai.

      Fig. 4. — Side grafting (five-needle pine onto black pine). A) Scion, 3 views. 1) Scissor-cut. 2) Long cut. 3) Short cut. B) Inserting scion in stock. C) Sectional views. 4) Knife-cut stack. 5) Scion inserted. D) Finishing. 6) Scissor-cut top of stock. 7) Bind graft. E) After 6 mos. 8) Scissor-cut stock above graft.

      Side grafting (Fig. 4). This method may be used for all types of trees, including pines. It requires a rather heavier stock. A slanting cut is made in the trunk, about two-thirds of an inch deep. The scion is trimmed so that the inner side has a long cut and the outer side a short one. In the case of a needle tree, if the needles of the scion are too long, they should be trimmed back to about one inch. The scion is inserted and bound into place and cared for in the same way as in the case of top grafting. After about six months the stock extending above the joint is cut off.

      Cleft grafting. See Figs. 5 & 6.

      Inarching grafting. See Fig. 7.

      Fig. 5. — Cleft grafting, preparation. A) Parent tree showing scissor-cutting points. B) Dormant shoots buried in mound of earth. C) Cutting shoot into scions. 1) Portions discorded. 2) Portion used. 3) Scissor cuts, leaving 1-2 nodes on each scion. 0) Trimming scion, 3 views. 4) Long cut. 5) Short cut. E) Stock trimming. F) Trimmed stock. 6) Slightly bevel entire circumference. 7) Slice off a segment. G) Single-cut cleft for thin scion. 8) Knife-cut downward. 9) Cut through cambium. H) Double-cut cleft for heavy scion. 10) Knife cuts. 11) Remove section from cut.

      BONSAI BY LAYERING AND DIVIDING