10 



It is pointed out, first of all, that success in mango-budding 

 mainly depends upon the vigorous condition of the stocks. For 

 this reason the preliminary attempts to bud both mango and avo- 

 cado stocks raised in bamboo pots proved unsuccessful. Flute 

 and T-budding and splice grafting were tried, and it was endeav- 

 ored to increase the vitality of the young stocks by the judicious 

 application of sulphate of ammonia. Every attempt proved un- 

 successful ; the buds remained dormant for several weeks, and in 

 some instances the avocado buds commenced to swell, but event- 

 ually turned black. 



Having at the time a large bed of vigorous one-year-old seed- 

 ling mango stocks, it was decided to attempt budding them by 

 similar methods to those employed in the propagation of oranges. 

 The inverted T method was tried first, and the attempt proved 

 very successful ; about 60 per cent, of the buds developed and 

 produced good plants. 



It is stated that this method has an advantage over the well- 

 known patch budding of citrus plants in that the former does not 

 demand such a high degree of skill and dexterity ; for in patch 

 budding it is, for instance, essential that the bud be cut so as to 

 fit the incised area of the stock in order to make a perfectly tight 

 union. In {he case of the inverted T method it is only necessary 

 that the bud be inserted beneath the bark and firmly tied in posi- 

 tion. 



The selection of bud-wood, it is pointed out, must be confined 

 to young woody branches. The buds should be tied in position 

 with rafifia ; budding tape should not be used, for mango and avo- 

 cado stocks, being more sappy than citrus stocks, tend to favor 

 fungi around the wound when covered with waxed tape. Thi.s 

 was found to be one of the causes of previous failures already 

 referred to. 



A point which next received consideration was the transplant- 

 ing of the budded stock. Some of the plants were lifted and 

 potted in bamboo joints. The results show that this can be done 

 successfully; but it is necessary to exercise great care, and only 

 the largest bamboo pots should be employed. It has been found 

 that plants with unusually long tap roots should not be potted, 

 but transplanted direct in the field. Reducing to any great extent 

 the length of the tap root, when potting, generally results in tlie 

 death of the i>lant. 



Other plai.ls were transplanted in a similar wav to that em- 

 ployed in citrus cultivation, and with the same satisfactory re- 

 sults, 'i'hc plants were forked up and rdl the soil shaken from 

 their roots. Tlie leaves were eli])pe(l and tlie i)lants transplaiUed 

 to permanent j)o.sili()ns in the field. 



In concluding his notes on this useful piece of investigation, 

 Mr. i'.rooks |H)ints f)ut the several ])ractical disadvantages attend- 



