I 



BUDDING. 



covering of leaves, and the next spring we plant tliem out into beds. The following 

 season they will bear, and we will be able to see whether we have gained a prize or 

 not. Raspberries, Currants, and Gooseberries, are managed exactly in the same way, 

 and will fruit in the same time. This is not a tedious process. Three years, or four, 

 enable us to arrive at some results with these small fruits, and very important fruits 

 they are. Now it would take as long as this to raise a colt fit for market ; and a 

 first rate new Strawberry, Currant, or Raspberry, is woi'th two or three good colts at 

 least, and it might be half a dozen. 



Peaches are easily raised from seed, and come quickly into bearing. Every one 

 knows how to raise Peaches from seed. The fresh pits may be transferred at once 

 from the pulp to the ground, and in three or four years it will yield fruit. Pears and 

 Apples are more tedious ; but there is a way to manage these to obtain early results. 

 Suppose, now, in 1853 we collect seeds of the finest Apples and Pears; as we take 

 them from the fruits we place them in sand or earth until we have done collecting ; 

 we then plant them in fine, well prepared earth. Next spring they will grow, and in 

 the autumn of 1854 we shall have yearling plants. While yet in leaf we select the 

 most promising subjects — such as show in their features the greatest degree of refine- 

 ment; then, instead of waiting for these to bear, which would not happen for ten 

 years perhaps, we bud or graft them into bearing trees — dwarfs, if we have them — 

 and in two years or so we will fruit them. Plums and Cherries are managed in the 

 same way. 



Now we think that no reasonable person who has patience enough to wait for the 

 ordinary seed time and harvest, could call this a very tedious process. Aside from 

 the advantages which it offers, the raising of seedling fruits is full of instruction and 

 intensely interesting, as every one can testify who has given it a trial. We shall 

 have more to say on this subject hereafter. 



A FEW HINTS ON BUDDING, OR INOCULATION. 



Budding, or inoculation^ is one of the most general, and, in this country, by far the 

 most important method of summer propagation. This operation consists in removing 

 a bud from the variety to be propagated, and inserting it on another which is called 

 the stock. Its success depends upon the following conditions : In the first place, 

 there must be a certain degree of affinity between the stock and the parent plant from 

 which we propose to propagate. Thus, among fruit trees, the Apple Crab, Pear, 

 Quince, Mespilus, and Mountain Ash, all belong to the same natural family, and may 

 be worked upon each other. The Plum, Apricot, Nectarine, Peach, and Almond, form 

 another natural division, and work upon each other. The Cherry must be worked 

 upon some kind of Cherry, and Currants and Gooseberries go together. In general 

 practice the iVpple is worked either upon Apple seedlings, which are called free stock 

 or upon the Domain, or Paradise, which are dwarf growing species, and are used 



