INDIANA HORTICULTUBAI. SOCIETY. 4l5 



below the bud, giving it Just pressure enougli to lieep the inserted portion 

 closely to the stoclf, but not close enough to check circulation. 



The shoots from which the buds are cut should be quite firm in texture. 

 The leaves should be immediately cut off to prevent evaporation, leaving a 

 quarter or half inch of the foot-stalk to serve as a handle in placing the 

 buds. In ten days or two weeks they should be examined, and if string 

 has been used in tying, it should be cut in order to prevent choking the 

 bud. If union has taken place, the bud will appear fresh and green, al- 

 though it should remain dormant until the next spring, when the stock 

 is cut off a short distance above the bud and the whole vigor of the root 

 thrown into the new bud which is to form the tree, and which should 

 grow from one to three or four feet the first season, depending upon the 

 kind of tree. 



The points to bear in mind, then, in successful budding, are: first, a 

 thrifty, rapidly growing stock, so that the bark will peel freely; second, 

 the proper time, not too early until some growth has taken place, and 

 not so late that the bark will not peel; third, healthy buds sufliciently ma- 

 tured; fourth, a sharp knife, so that the bud may be shaved off smoothly; 

 and fifth, the application of some ligature firm enough to cause the bud 

 and stock to fit closely.— J. Troop, Purdue University. 



ADVICE TO BEGINNERS. 



There are none who see brighter visions in the future than the be- 

 ginner in fruit culture, and there are none who get a taste of higher 

 flavor, of the bitter ashes and sour apples than he. A good start is 

 always counted as half of the battle, whether it may be with guns or 

 apples. As a fact of history, you may set it down that the starter in 

 fruit growing, at the end of a few years' work will be wiser if not richer. 

 The beginner in fruit growing should know his land and location. His 

 laud must not be poor, and his location must be not in a swamp or on a 

 dry, poor hillside. Tree or vine, or cane, fruit will not grow and do well 

 if it is not properly situated and properly fed. After you have got and 

 prepared a place for your fruit home and farm, then comes the preparation 

 of the soil. Have it rich enough with plant food to feed and keep fat 

 the crops you plant. No little bird or big book can tell you what to 

 plant and when to plant. You must learn these things largely by obser- 

 vation and consultation. 



To raise fruit and succeed, the man that does it must love fruit; not 

 merely for the money in it, but the good eating in it. The man who 

 loves fruit because it is good to his taste is best to raise fruit to sell. The 

 man that loves his wife makes a good husband. The man who loves fruit 

 can make a good fruit raiser. No matter connected with fruit growing 

 is more important than the selection of varieties and kinds. Apples won't 



