Thank you. I will do that.

Somewhat to my surprise I continue to see new stock labeled 'Joe Witt' here and there at local independent outlets each season in later years. Think I just saw some a few feet tall that had been received recently somewhere. I tend to frequent Wells-Medina and Sky but I also make occasional visits to Molbak's and Swanson's. So I would suggest if you haven't done so already calling around and seeing what they say. Also I would like to point out that sometimes one may be told on the phone an item is not in the current inventory when in fact it is - or had been delivered and is about to be put on display but hasn't been yet at the time you have called. So if you might possibly have another reason for visiting the sources you consider within reasonable driving distance, inspecting what they have at this time that might be a good idea. February is functionally the first month of spring in this climate region and local vendors already have displays of flowering plants and other things to look at.

And while there it might not hurt to ask if any 'Joe Witt' are expected or have been requested for later this year.

I found a source online selling "graft size". What does that mean?

Presumably that they are new and tiny. But it would be best to look or ask for their own explanation.

I did. They said it's a one year old graft. Tiny is not a problem for me. Small settles in better.

Badly deformed root stocks appear to be commonly used for grafting of ornamental plants, be sure to inspect and correct (if you are able) roots at planting. Otherwise it might be possible to get the scion to root out on its own over time by slowly burying it. Unlike with grafting of fruit trees onto dwarfing or disease resistant stocks the entire purpose of grafting 'Joe Witt' onto another maple in this instance would be to enable the producer to clone and sell it, with it not being necessary for the stock to make up the entirety of its root system for the entire life of the specimen. And if there is any possibility of graft incompatibility developing later, in addition to the high likelihood of the stock being deformed by careless container culture it may actually become necessary to continued longevity of the planting that the scion form its own root system.

For instance a few years ago a couple friends had to remove a long established Father David maple that was planted in a prominent position right off their deck, where they could easily see the bark during the winter. This was because it had a girdling root that had begun pinching off the section of trunk above it, causing it to blacken and ooze in a hideous manner.