168 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



central portion of it, entering the knife about half an inch below, 

 and bringing it out about as far above a bud. This slice of bark 

 and wood taken together is technically called a bud — the part 

 which grows into a shoot (i. e. the bud proper) being known as 

 its eye. 



;!'5;;I'!i,!'!iii!5|j tj_. 



111 -f.ri 'Ik 



'if M I 



ll;:|i'l||i [][ 



d 



' e 



Shield Budding — Difpekent Stages. 

 (a). Stick of buds. (6). Showing the T shaped cut in the bark of stock, (c). 

 Bud ready for insertion, (d). Stock with bud inserted, (e). Same tied up. 



With the ivory haft of the budding knife, or if you have not 

 such a knife, with" a wedge of wood or ivory, gently raise the bark, 

 beginning at the corners of the slit in the stock. Be very careful 

 that the cambium or sliver be not disturbed or injured in the least. 

 Then taking hold of the bud by its foot-stalk, insert it and gentlj' 

 push it down to the bottom of the incision. The eye of the bud 

 will now be about half an inch below the horizontal cut. That part 

 of the bud, if any, projecting above this should be cut off by pass- 

 ing the knife through it into the transverse slit again so that a 

 good joint be made. 



A bass string, or some other which is soft and pliable, is now to 

 be wound tightly about it, beginning at the bottom and covering 

 every part except the eye of the bud and its foot-stalk, and tying 

 it above the horizontal cut. The success of the operation, so far 

 as its execution is concerned, depends mainly on smooth cuts, an 

 exact fit of the bud to the incision made for it, and close tying. 

 Cloudy and moist weather is more favorable than a hot sun and a 

 dry day. In ten days or a fortnight, examine the buds and if the}' 

 be found plump and full, the operation has been successful, and the 



