THE ROSE GARDEN. 131 



This piece of bark is called the bud, d: the tree in which it is inserted is called the 

 stock. The only implement necessary in the operation is the budding-knife, of 

 which there are various forms, but that called Curtis's is perhaps the best. Let 

 us suppose we have a stock which we are wishing to convert into some favourite 

 variety. In the first place, obtain a shoot from the tree whose identity we wish it 

 to bear ; from this the leaves are cut off, leaving, however, about half an inch of 

 the leaf-stalk to every bud. Before proceeding farther, the prickles should be 

 rubbed off both stock and scion, that they may not interfere with the operation, or 

 annoy the fingers of the operator. Now take the budding-knife in the right hand 

 and make a longitudinal cut, a a, about an inch in length, terminated at the top 

 end, b, with a cross-cut. In using the knife, take care not to cut too deep : throwjh 

 the bark is all that is necessary ; deeper is, indeed, injurious. Now turn the handle 

 of the knife to the incision, running it up and down the cut a a, twisting it slightly 

 on either side to raise the bark. All is now ready for the reception of the stranger- 

 bud. Take the shoot which is to furnish it in the left hand, with the thicker part 

 towards the finger-ends. With the knife in the right hand commence cutting 

 about half an inch behind the bud, passing the knife upwards under the bud, and 

 to about the same distance beyond it. The knife should have a keen edge, that 

 the bark may not be ruffled in the operation. In cutting out the bud, the knife 

 should pass through almost level : it may, however, in some cases, dip a trifle 

 when passing directly under the bud, as the wood before and behind it are not 

 always on the same level. If the bud be cut ever so skilfully there will be a little 

 of the wood adhere thereto. This some advise the removal of; others say, let 

 it remain. Much depends on circumstances. If the shoot is not fully ripe, or if, 

 from the nature of the variety, the wood is soft when taken, cut the bud as shal- 

 low as possible, and place it, with the wood, in the stock. But the shoot is usually 

 firm and ripe, and then the wood should be withdrawn. To do this easily, place 

 the bud between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, with the cut upper- 

 most, and with the upper end pointing from the hand. Insert the point of the 

 knife just beneath the wood, c — that is, between the wood and the bark — and by a 

 skilful twist of the knife, which can only be acquired by practice, the wood may 

 be jerked out. Now, with the same hand place the bud on the bark of the stock 

 parallel with the longitudinal incision, and with the upper end towards the top of 

 the shoot ; then with the handle of the knife raise the bark on the side opposite to 

 that on which the bud is placed, pushing two-thirds of the bud beneath the bark 

 with the thumb. Now raise the bark on the opposite side, and the bud may be 

 gently pushed under with the handle of the knife, or will probably drop in. When 

 properly placed, the eye of the bud should be directly under the opening caused 

 by the raising of the edges of the bark of the longitudinal incision/: if it be not so, 

 the handle of the budding-knife should be inserted beneath the bark, to push it to 

 a right position. But if the bud be not deprived of the leaf-stalk, if that is 

 allowed to protrude from the opening, the eye will be secured in the best site. 



