232 ON BUDDING THE ROSE. 



form to that it had grown in ; press the shield so as to be held firmly, 

 then gently twist the upper end of the shield, " which is nearest 

 you," and this will loosen the wood from the shield. The wood 

 must be taken out with the right hand, whilst the shield is held by 

 the left. The separation of the wood from the shield must always 

 begin at the upper end as it had grown. It will then be necessary 

 to see that no vacuum be in the inside of the bud ; if there be, the 

 root of it is gone, and it tvill not grow ; though the bark might unite, 

 no shoot could be produced. If there be no hollow inside the bud 

 it is fit for use. If the shield does not separate freely from the wood 

 the shoot might be soaked for an hour, and it would assist the shield 

 and wood to separate more readily. The edges of the bark of the 

 shield must be quite smooth and clean, on no account to be left 

 jagged. The leaf, in the axilla of which is the bud, must have one 

 half of it cut away, for the evaporation of the whole would much 

 weaken the bud, and rather prevent its growth. The shield having 

 been thus prepared, lay it in water till the incision is ready for its 

 reception. 



The side shoots must be left to bud upon ; on the upper side of a 

 shoot of the present year an incision must be made through the bark 

 an inch and a half long ; the lowest point of the incision to be about 

 a quarter of an inch from the trunk of the stock ; that is, from the 

 origin of the shoot. At the upper point of the incision already made 

 a cross cut must be made through the bark, as long as it will admit 

 the shield readily under it. With the ivory end of the budding knife 

 proceed to open the edges of the bark at the upper part of the inci- 

 sion, and very carefully proceed downwards ; which, if the tree be in 

 a proper state, will separate readily. This being done, slip in the 

 shield, and carefully force it down, so that all the shield may be 

 inclosed under the bark, excepting about the eighth of an inch of the 

 upper part of it, which must be left outside, and that portion must 

 be cut across, so as to make it fit to the inside of the cross cut in the 

 incision, so that the bark of the shoot above the incision, and the 

 bark of the upper part of the shield, may come in even and close 

 contact ; this is very necessary, because the first union takes place 

 there, by the descending of the sap coming in contact with the top of 

 the shield. 



The bud being thus carefully inserted must not be removed from 



