This technique of tree repair is utilized when the girdled area is above the ground line. Scions should be dormant wood about a half inch in diameter and 4 to 5 inches longer than the gap they are to bridge.
Prepare the tree by cutting away all dead tissue, then trim the bark to make the edges even. The scions are cut wedge shape at both ends, with the part to go against the wood of the tree about twice as long as the opposite side (Figure 32). Two slits are made in the bark the same size as the scion to receive the scion.