12 THE KANSAS PEACH. 



Be sure to get buds of the variety you want — true to name ; these 

 buds are of the present season's growth and should be sufficiently 

 matured for use. Cut the new twigs containing the buds, discarding 

 the '"tiiDS and butts," using only the healthy, strong middle buds; cut 

 the leaves off, leaving the petiole or leaf stalk with the buds. See fig. la. 

 Now, beginning at the south end of a row of the seedling trees — 

 which should be from two and one-half to four feet high — get on your 

 knees, with your back to the south and the row on your left ; allow the^ 

 toi? of the young tree to rest back of your left shoulder, and with your 

 left hand grasp it near the ground, and, bending it toward the south, 

 hold it there while with the knife in the right hand you make an in- 

 cision through the bark across the tree about two and one-half or 

 three inches from the earth (see fig. Ic), and another from its center 

 downward, from one to one and one-half inches. See fig. Ic. The bent 

 position of the tree will cause the corners of the bark to open slightly, 

 with the reverse end of the knife-handle — some use a goosequill or a 

 piece of ivory or bone — press the bark gently from the wood (see fig. 

 Id), and having cut a bud from the twig (see fig. lb) insert it under 

 the bark in such a way that the bud itself projects from the i^erpen- 

 dicular cut in the bark of the young tree ; pu.sh the bud and shield of 

 bark well down in the slit (see fig. le), and then, with bass mat, yarn, 

 or tow string, proceed to wrap above and below the bud. I like to 

 wrap above first, then crossing behind wrap and tie below the bud, 

 being always careful not to injure it. The tie does not need to cover 

 all the cut parts : it is simply to hold them for the healing which na- 

 ture brings. No wax or covering of any kind is used. You are now 

 ready for the next tree. 



After three, four or five days examine your work, and if necessary 

 cut the tie, as such young trees are often so thrifty that the string 

 will check growth in three or four days. "Where much budding is 

 done boys go ahead to clean the lower part of the tree of sprouts, 

 leaves, trash, or dirt ; then after the budders follow the tiers. Have 

 your ties cut beforehand : the most convenient length is about seven 

 inches. Be careful to discriminate between leaf and blossom buds ; 

 leaf-buds are more pointed and are what you want, as they contain 

 the germ of a sprout, a tree. Blossom buds are plumper and more 

 blant. and rounded on the end, and will produce only blossoms — on 

 the parent tree they would probably set fruit. 



Plainly label your trees with name of bud variety, with stakes at 

 end of row, and cultivate until August, being careful not to injure the 

 bud. 



The following spring cut the seedling top off about three or four 

 inches above the inserted bud; and it is a good thing to tie the sprout, 



