STARTING BUDS INTO GROWTH. 15 



corresponding- piece is removed from the stock and the section from 

 the ])iul stick carefully fitted in its place. It is then tied with a strand 

 of dampened ratha. l)ut this is used only to keej) the l)ud tirmly in 

 place; the top and bottom of the section are left uncovered, ))ecause 

 there is a danger of the raffia injuring the cut ends, which are held 

 tightly in place b}' narrow strips of waxed cloth covering all ))ut the 

 bud. A wrapping of paper is then given, as already described. The 

 principal objection to this method of budding is that the sides of the 

 bark are apt to rise somewhat during the growth of the stock. This, 

 while in no way injuring or retarding the growth of the bud. does not 

 have a ver}^ neat appearance for some time after the union is effected 

 and may have a tendency to weaken the point of union, l)esides giving 

 opportunities for hart)()ring noxious insects. 



STARTING BUDS INTO GROWTH. 



It is desirable that the buds be started into growth as .soon as possible 

 after it has been ascertained that the union has taken place. Buds 

 which are united to stocks having a large section of bark attached are 

 liable to have more or less of the bark decav during the winter months. 

 This occurs principally with young buds, especially when they are 

 worked on 1-year-old wood. This would seem to be common to all 

 the species of the hickory family, but where 1-year-old buds are used 

 the danger is lessened consideral)lv. However, in the latter case they 

 lose their vigor in proportion to the time the}' remain on the stock 

 without being encouraged to break. 



In order to force the bud into growth it is necessarv that the top of 

 the seedling stock be removed, leaving onl}' one or two healthy leaves 

 at the base of the present season's growth. In a few days the buds in 

 the axils of these leaves will push out. and they should be Removed as 

 soon as the}' can be handled, and on down the stem the small dormant 

 buds formed in the axils of the leaves of the preceding season will 

 burst into active growth and must be rubbed off at once. By this 

 time the scion bud will have swollen considerably, and in a month's 

 time it will have developed several full-sized leaves. With buds 

 inserted up to the end of June there is abundant time for the devel- 

 opment of a good-sized shoot. The terminal buds of these shoots 

 reach maturity in the majority of cases, but this is of Httle consequence, 

 as one of the lateral buds will push out strongly the following spring. 



The practice of tying the growth of the scion to the top of the stock 

 is a good one; it not only saves the soft growth from being whipped 

 about by the wind, but it also secures a close, upright growth. At 

 the beginning of the second season all of that part of the stock which 

 is above the union should be carefully removed, not with a pair of 

 pruning shears, but with a sharp knife, so as to leave a cleanly cut 

 surface, with the bark uninjured. The cut surface should be covered 

 with melted grafting wax to prevent decay. 



