17^ PROPAGATION BY BUDDIJsG. 



on the necessity of removing every particle of 

 wood. I will endeavour to simplify this matter. 

 Take a rose shoot with its buds, cut off its leaves, 

 leaving the footstalks about an inch in length, 

 and then cut off a very thin slice of bark, about 

 one inch in length, which should have the bud in 

 the centre ; this slice of bark will have, if cut 

 thinly enough, a layer of the wood about the 

 thickness of thin writing paper ; this need not be 

 removed, but the bud may be inserted at once by 

 commencing at the transverse cut and thrusting 

 it down gently. When the bud is inserted, cut 

 off with your knife (which should be very sharp) 

 a piece from the upper part of the plate, i.e. the 

 piece of bark with the bud attached, so that it 

 fits closely to the transverse cut at top ; then bind 

 it up firmly, but leave the bud peeping out, with 

 cotton twist, such as the tallow-chandlers use for 

 the wicks of candles ; the finest quality is best : 

 this is the most eligible binding known, and far 

 preferable to matting or worsted. Budding may 

 be commenced in June, and performed as late as 

 the second week in September ; if done in June, 

 the only shoots fit to take buds from are those 

 that have shed their flowers : on these alone the 

 buds are mature. I have occasionally known 

 budding to succeed in October, but after August 

 it is at the best uncertain, as the success of the 

 operation entirely depends upon the state of the 

 weather. I must, however, except the Manetti 



