12 PROPAGATION OF TROPICAL FRUIT TREES, ETC. 



to prevent moisture from gaining access to the cut surfaces. The cut 

 surfaces and all but the bud should then be covered with strips of 

 cloth dipped in melted paraffin, wrapping being begun at the lower 

 part, so that when finished water will not gain entrance to the wrapped 

 section of bark. If that part of the stock where the bud is tied be 

 exposed to. the sun, it is always advisable to furnish shade, which is 

 best supplied by strips of paper tied above the bud and extending 

 down over it. Two weeks may be allowed to pass before an examina- 

 tion is made. The cloth wrappings may then be removed and the 

 raffia should be loosened if there is danger of its cutting into the 

 bark. AVhen a sufficient time has elapsed to make certain that a 

 union has taken place, part of the top of the stock should be removed 

 in order to encourage the bud to start, This it will do with very little 

 coaxing. 



When sufficient growth has been made, all of the stock above the 

 bud may be removed and the cut part coated with liquid grafting wax 

 or tar to exclude moisture and prevent rotting. 



WHEN TO BUD. 



Budding may be performed at any time during the growing season, 

 but with each plant there are certain periods when the operation will 

 be found to be more successful than at other times. These periods 

 are indicated by the growths or "flushes" being about half developed. 

 At these times the sap appears to be more active than at others, as the 

 bark peels from the wood more readily than when the growths are of 

 firmer texture. 



SELECTION OF BUDDING MATERIAL. 



This part of the operation is of the utmost importance because 

 success depends to a great extent upon the use of proper buds. Many 

 growers who have tried to work buds of good varieties on seedling 

 stocks arc under the impression that the operation is an exceedingly 

 difficult one, but this idea has arisen from the fact that the work has 

 been prosecuted in a manner contrary to the demands of the structural 

 details of the plant. 



The mango is not the only tree which does not take kindly to young 

 buds; in fact its propagation as carried on at the Department of 

 Agriculture was suggested to the writer during some experiments in 

 the propagation of the pecan by budding, as described in Bulletin 

 No. 30 of the Bureau of Plant Industry. As has already been stated 

 the 1 -year-old wood of the mango is quite immature and comes far 

 short of furnishing the best buds for propagation; therefore wood 

 under this ago should not be employed for budding if other material 

 can be had. 



