THE PLUM IN KANSAS. 117 



The commencement of the budding season is determined by the 

 maturity of the scion buds to be used ; they are buds of the current 

 year's production and must be well matured. Budding may be con- 

 tinued as long as the bark will "slip," and this, as well as the matura- 

 tion of the scion buds, will be largely influenced by weather conditions. 

 The length of the budding season may therefore vary greatly in dif- 

 ferent years. Usually, the season with plums is shorter than with 

 peaches or apples. About ten days after insertion the buds should 

 be examined and the bands loosened, if necessary. Where buds have 

 failed to unite the stocks may be rebudded, and this may be repeated 

 as often as the length of the season will allow. Late in the fall stocks 

 on which buds have failed should be taken up and stored for grafting 

 in late winter or early spring. When growth starts in the spring the 

 budded stocks must receive prompt attention. The stock must be 

 "headed down," that is, cut off above the bud, and here practice varies 

 somewhat. Some growers prefer to cut from four to six inches above 

 the bud, while others would at once cut as close to the bud as it is 

 safe. The idea in cutting high is to leave a stub which may serve as 

 a support to which the shoot from the bud may be tied, the stub be- 

 ing removed at the close of the first season's growth. All shoots below 

 as well as above the scion bud must be rem.oved ; otherwise they will 

 starve the bud by diverting the saj) to their own development. Fur- 

 ther production of these shoots from the stock will occur, and they 

 must be frequently checked in order to secure the best growth of the 

 scion. 



By far the greater number of plum trees grown commercially are 

 produced by this process of budding. It is the easiest and best way 

 when trees are grown in quantity, but as good trees can be produced 

 by grafting, and often it is more convenient to graft than to bud. At 

 the Colorado station we used both methods and found grafting rather 

 more uniformly successful than budding. I am aware that the idea 

 is current that stone fruits, and particularly plums, are difficult to 

 graft. It is true that certain precautions must be observed that need 

 receive little attention when grafting the ajjple, but, these simple pre- 

 cautions taken, the work is no more, difficult, and success is as certain 

 as with the apple. Of course, the mechanical work of putting scion 

 and stock together must be well done, but outside of this there are 

 three points upon which success mainly depends: (1) The perfectly 

 dormant condition of both stock and scion at the time the operation 

 is performed; (2) the protection of the union by coating with wax; 

 (3) proper care of the plants between grafting and setting in nursery. 



The work is usually performed during March or April, and may be 

 continued so long as the dormant condition can be maintained. 



