PROPAGATION OF FRUITS. 35 



When the moisture has softened the rind of the sprouts, 

 young roots will strike through the moss into the soil, and 

 numerous plants may thus be obtained in the course of one 

 Summer sufficiently vigorous to be removed to the nursery. 

 No biennial parent-branches, however, need be employed ; as 

 these will produce new saplings only in the second year. 



PROPAGATION BY SEEDS. 



Propagation by seeds is the natural and easiest way to 

 rear trees and most other vegetable productions ; but few spe- 

 cies of fruit trees, however, will produce the same variety and 

 quality from the seeds or kernels, and the greater part ^y\ \ 

 prove very inferior and crabbed fruit: some, notwithstandiig^ 

 will be very good, and a few may equal the parent in every res- 

 pect, and bear a general resemblance in growth, foliage, &c. 

 There are a few varieties of peaches, however, that may be 

 reared from the kernels, with most undeviating sameness, 

 especially the different varieties of the Heath. Propagation 

 by layers or cuttings is not, and cannot well be practiced in 

 rearing the Apple or Peach and the various modes of budding 

 and grafting are resorted to for that purpose. 



PROPAGATION BY BUDDING OR INOCULATION. 



Bud, in botany, is the embryo or rudiment of a plant, 

 growing on stems and branches of trees, and covered with 

 scales, or with a resinous varnish, to protect it from the winter 

 cold, and from the depredations of insects. Buds proceed 

 from the extremities of the young shoots, and along the 

 branches, sometimes single, sometimes two by two, either 

 opposite or alternate, and sometimes collected in greater num- 

 bers. In general we may distinguish three kinds of buds ; 

 the leaf-bud, the flower-bud, and that containing both in one 

 covering. The first species contains the rudiments of several 

 leaves, which are variously folded over each other, and sur- 

 rounded by scales. The second species or flower bud, con- 

 tains the rudiments of one or several flowers, folded and cov- 

 ered in a similar manner. This is called the eye of the bud. 



