io^ 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Budding. 



By E. H. BOWERS, with Illustrations by the Author. 



BUDDING is a method usually practised in propa- 

 g-ating- fruit trees, roses, many choice shrubs, &c. 

 Stone fruits in particular, such as plums, cherries, 

 &c. , are more successfully propagated by budding' than 

 by g:rafting-. There are several methods of budding-, 

 such as "ring-" and "inlaid,"" but the method here de- 

 scribed will be found the most satisfactory in g-eneral. 



Budding- is best done in July, and, unlike g-rafting-, 

 must be done while there is a strong- flow of sap. It is 

 also a more rapid method, and is g-reatly practised in 

 nurseries where larg^e numbers of voung trees are re- 

 quired. This is another advantage in budding— if the 

 bud fails the same stock can be grafted the following- 

 spring-. 



ready for insertion. This being- done make a "f cut 

 (Fig. E)in the bark of the stock about three or four 

 inches from the g-round ; next raise out the bark (Fig. F) 

 sufficiently to allow the bud to be slipped into posi- 

 tion (Fig. G) ; then to finish the operation tie round 

 with a piece of worsted string, which will prevent the 

 bark from opening too much afterwards, and will keep 

 the bud held firm until the union takes place. In the 

 course of a few weeks it will be known if the bud has 

 "taken ;"this will be so if the leaf drops off, but if it 

 wilts, becornes shrivelled and remains attached, the bud 

 will have failed. No growth will be made until the 

 following spring, when the stock must be cut off just 

 above the bud. (See dark line, Fig. A.) 



Although the above chiefly applies to fruit trees, the 

 same method will do for roses, except that the bud is 

 inserted in the stronger current year's growth. 



Some of the best results I have ever got with roses 



Explanation of Diagrams. 



A— The "stock." «-The place where the bud should be inserted, usually from 3 to 6 inches from the ground. The black line marks 

 where the stock must be cut away ni the follow ing spring. B- A young shoot from which the buds are obtained ; this should be the current 

 year s growth, a shows how the bud should be cut out ; use a very sharp knife. C- Preparing the bud for insertion ; remove the woody 



portion (pith) o, takmg care that the embryo bud is «<)/ also removed with it. Half the leaf should also be cut off "^ "" ' ' 



insertion. 



D The bud ready for 



The bud must be inserted between the bark and wood 

 of the stock. To commence operations, select n well- 

 ripened shoot of the current year's growth on which the 

 buds (which will be found at the axils of the leaves) are 

 strong and plump ; insert a sharp knife about half an 

 inch above the bud, and cut out the piece containing the 

 bud and leaf (see a, Fig. B) ; this piece should be about 

 an inch and a quarter long. When this cut is being 

 made some of the woody portion (pith) will also be cut 

 out, and attached to the bud. This must be removed by 

 picking it out with the knife (see n. Fig. C), but care must 

 be taken that the embryo bud is /lof also removed from the 

 inside ; sometimes this comes away with the "woody " 

 portion. Next cut away half the leaf, and the bud is 



were from bushes budded in the latter part of August 

 and early in September. If roses are budded too 

 early the buds start into growth, and these may be 

 too weak or unripe to survive a sexere winter ; by 

 budding late they remain dormant until spring, at least 

 that is my experience in rose budding in cold, late 

 districts in the west of Ireland. 



C^* c^^ ^^ 



" Where the blackbird sings the latest, 

 Wliere the hawthorn blooms the sweetest, 

 Where the nestlings chirp and flee 

 That's the way for Billy and me." 



—■f^ogi. 



