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MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BUDDING AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING FRUITS. 



R. S. MACKINTOSH, ST. ANTHONY PARK. 



Budding is a form of grafting - used at times when other styles 

 of grafting cannot be used. It differs from ordinary grafting in that 

 the scion has only one bud, and the work is done when the plant 

 worked upon is growing vigorously. 



In this region budding is not practiced as much as in the south 

 and east, except perhaps in propagating plums. With the apple, 

 root-grafting is preferable on account of the uncertainty of the 

 hardiness of the seedling apple roots. 



Budding has to be done at a time when the stock (i. e., plant 

 worked upon) is growing vigorously and when the outer bark peels 

 easily. This is either in June or late July and August. 



June Budding: In some cases budding is done using buds of the 

 current season's growth. These start at once. In the north this is 

 not done as much as in the south. 



Fig. 1 — At work budding in the field. One to insert the buds and another 

 to do the tieing. 



Regular Budding: The plum is best budded in this section in 

 July or August, or when the bark separates easily. The buds used 

 are taken from well matured wood of the same season's growth. 

 The twigs thus cut are called "bud sticks." The stocks used should 

 not be less than three-eighths of an inch in diameter. The leaves are 

 cut off near to the wood, which is then wrapped in a moist cloth to 

 keep from drying out. The stocks are worked usually on the north 



