Cleft Grafting
Cleft grafting is typically used in topworking limbs that are small enough to be split and forced open to receive the prepared scion of the new cultivar being attached to a mature tree. However the cleft craft is sometimes used when the rootstock are over-sized for the size of scions being used in bench grafting. The prepared scion is held in place by the spring pressure of the topworked stock attempting to close back up after being forced open. Some sort of tree seal is applied to all open wounds from the procedure so that callusing can take place.
For a description of the procedure read pages 464 to 471 in Chapter 12 of Hartmann and Kester's Plant Propagation (see link below). Those pages cover the cleft graft procedre Here is the link to Chapter 12:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/pdf%20stuff/ph%20final%20galley/M12_DAVI4493_00_SE_C12.pdf
There are also good discussions with diagrams and pictures in:
Cleft Grafting on the Cornell University horticulture site. Excellent combo of pictures and diagrams. A must read/see on the cleft graft.
Other sources on cleft grafting include:
Reproducing Fruit Trees by Graftage: Budding and Grafting (from U. of Kentucky Extension). See pages 5 and 6.
Grafting and Propagating Fruit Trees (from Penn State Extension). See pages 7 and 8.
Grafting and Budding Nursery Crop Plants (from NC State University). See Figure 2.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/pdf%20stuff/ph%20final%20galley/M12_DAVI4493_00_SE_C12.pdf
There are also good discussions with diagrams and pictures in:
Cleft Grafting on the Cornell University horticulture site. Excellent combo of pictures and diagrams. A must read/see on the cleft graft.
Other sources on cleft grafting include:
Reproducing Fruit Trees by Graftage: Budding and Grafting (from U. of Kentucky Extension). See pages 5 and 6.
Grafting and Propagating Fruit Trees (from Penn State Extension). See pages 7 and 8.
Grafting and Budding Nursery Crop Plants (from NC State University). See Figure 2.