STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 303 



A smooth place on the stock to be budded is then chosen, where 

 incisions are made just through the bark, one across the other 

 80 as to form a T, the bark on the two edges of the perpendicular 

 cut is carefully raised with the smooth ivory handle of the bud- 

 ding knife, as shown in Fig. 10, and the bud is inserted between 

 them; the upper end of the bark attached to the bud is cut 

 square to fit the horizontal cut on the stock (see Fig. 11). The 

 string is then wound around tightly, commencing at the bottom 

 and covering every part of the incision, leaving the bud itself 

 and the leaf stalk uncovered (see Fig. 12); the string is fastened 

 above the horizontal cut, and the work is done. The success of 

 the operation depends in a great measure upon smooth cuts, an 

 exact fit of the bud, close tying, and the expedition with which 

 it is done. 



In ten days or two weeks after the buds are inserted they 

 should be examined, and such as have failed to unite may be 

 budded again, if the stocks have not finished their season, so 

 that the bark will not lift. In about two or three weeks the 

 strings should be taken off. Early the next spring, or as soon as 

 the buds begin to start, the stocks should be headed down to 

 within three or four inches of the buds, and all buds starting 

 above or below them should be rubbed out. About the first of 

 August the portion of the stock left above the bud at the time 

 of heading down, should be removed with a sloping cut, smooth 

 and close at the highest point of union between the stock and 

 bud. 



Nearly all of our fruit trees will do as well to be budded as 

 grafted if the stocks are perfectly hardy, but the operation does 

 not make them any hardier. All varieties that do not split 

 straight, like our native plum and the cherry, are more sure to 

 grow than when cleft grafted but not when whip grafted. 



PROPAGATING BY CUTTINGS. 



A cutting is a shoot or part of a shoot, generaly of one season's 

 growth. The length may vary from a single eye or joint to a 

 foot or more, according to the nature of the species, or the cir- 

 cumstances under which they are to be grown. For the best 

 success, the wood should be as stout and mature as possible and 

 should be cut close and smoothe to a bud or joint at the lower 

 end. In our experience, cuttings taken off close to the old wood 

 with the base attached have proved much more successful than 



