MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 353 



How to Bud YouDg Trees. 



The proper time to bud is when the stock — the youog tree that 

 receives the bud — is completing its growth to the season, and while 

 the bark still separates freely from the wood. If the bark adheres 

 ever so little, the work will be unsuccessful. This right time is usually 

 all through the month of August. Some trees, however, complete 

 their growth early aod require to be budded earlier than August. The 

 Morello cherry, for instance, and some of the plums. Others, includ- 

 ing the peach in its first season's growth, the Mahaleb cherry and the 

 quince grow late, and are best budded in September. The season gov- 

 erns largely. If dry, growth is checked and the bark soon adheres, 

 and budding must be done early. If wet, growth will be continued 

 late and the work must be performed late. The stock will indicate its 

 readiness by the points of the growing shoots ceasing to elongate, and 

 forming their terminal buds," says the National Stockman and Farmer. 



The most convenient size for the stock is half an inch in diame- 

 ter ; but with care a smaller size can be worked, and a larger one up 

 to an inch or over. 



The scions of the kind desired to be budded should be of the 

 current year's growth ; best if from the outside of the tree, growing 

 in full sunshine. The buds at the base of the scion are generally not 

 very well developed, and those toward the point too soft and immature, 

 so that an inch or two of the lower end and two or three inches of the 

 point should be rejected. 



As soon as the scion is cut the leaves are to be removed; they 

 carry off moisture rapidly if left on, and so ruin the buds. In cutting 

 off the leaves half an inch or so of the footstalk is to be left to hold 

 the bud by when putting it in place. This prepared scion, or "stick 

 of buds," is to be kept in damp cloth until used. 



The regular budding knife, costing 50 cents to $1 has its point 

 rounded to nearly the quarter of a circle, and there is generally a thia 

 piece of bone or ivory on the end of the handle for raising the bark. 

 The expert budder rarely uses this thin ivory, but raises the bark with 

 the rounded point of the budding knife. A good common pocket 

 knife may take the place of the budding knife. It must have a keen 

 edge and a thin blade, and the fine edge is so imperative that the blade 

 used in budding should be used for no other purpose whatever. 



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