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PEOPAGATIOX BY BUDDINa. 



Tnis seems at present, owing to the strong wish 

 manifested by the present generation to do every- 

 thing quickly, to be the favourite mode of propa- 

 gation. A Summer Rose from a cutting requires 

 at least two seasons to form a blooming plant. 

 A layer is occasionally very capricious, and very 

 loath to make roots ; indeed, of some varieties, 

 particularly of Rosa alba, they will not by any 

 means be induced to form roots when layered, and 

 are very difficult even to be propagated by cut- 

 tings from the forcing-house ; but these become 

 perfectly docile and manageable when budded, in 

 one season only, forming large and handsome 

 plants. The operation of budding is easy to do, 

 but difficult to describe. A longitudinal cut, not 

 so deep as to cut into the wood, but merely 

 through the bark, should be made in the clear 

 part of the shoot, thus | ; then a transverse cut, 

 thus — , at the top of the incision : the bark on 

 both sides of this incision must be opened with 

 the flat handle peculiar to the budding-knife, and 

 the bud inserted. Too many words have been 

 wasted on the proper method of cutting off buds 

 for insertion, some recommending wood to be 

 left, i.e. the thin layer of wood adhering to the 

 piece of bark — technically the plate — on which 

 the bud is situated ; others lay great stress 



