VIit PROPAGATION 141 
alone. It is best for an amateur to learn of an 
amateur, provided of course the teacher be ex- 
perienced and trustworthy; for, without throwing 
any discredit upon the wonderfully clever and rapid 
performances of professional budders, it is plain 
that an amateur works upon rather different lines. 
He has not such a wealth of ‘“‘ stuff’’ to fall back on, 
either of buds or stocks, and having more time can 
afford to be more careful and particular about every 
stage of the operation. 
No tools are required beyond a budding knife. It 
is hardly necessary to say that this should be as sharp 
as possible, but a hone is not so often required as in 
pruning, since no hard substances will require to be 
cut. The curve at the end of the bone handle for 
turning up the bark of the stock is made of different 
shapes, and a young operator will soon find which 
is most convenient for him. A bundle of ties of 
Raffia, split where too thick, and shortened to ten 
inches or a foot each (better too long than too short), 
should be fastened to the waist so that one tie can 
be slipped out easily as required. 
The buds chosen should be half-ripe, and plump 
but not grown out. Experience will soon teach the 
proper condition: but, as a general rule, at the end 
of July and beginning of August, buds in the proper 
condition will be found on the shoot from which a 
bloom is then cut; before that time the shoot must 
mature more or less after the flower is cut before the 
buds are ready: after it the buds will be ready on 
the shoot before it has bloomed, and in September 
only the latest shoots which are still growing will 
be of use. Those who grow for exhibition will 
generally have a difficulty in finding early buds; the 
