BUD 



103 



BUD 



ness in the operation is indispensable, 

 for if the wound in the stock or that of 

 the bud becomes dry, the buddiiHr will 

 fail. The bark of the stock should be 

 cut and raised first, and if possible on 

 its north side. A piece of moist bass 



the bnd is preparinjr, and the moment 

 this is done, it sliould be inserted, and 

 the ligature put on furthwith. 



There are twenty-three modes of 

 budding described by M. Thouin, but 

 only one — shield-budding, (Fig. 22) — is 



may be twisted over the wound whilst I generally practised in Great Britain and 



Fig. 22. 



the United States. The annexed cut will 

 convey a tolerably clear idea of the pro- 

 cess ; a is the stock or tree to bebudded. 

 Shield-budding and Scallop-budding : — 

 " With the budding-knife make a hori- 

 zontal cut across the rind, quite through 

 to the firm wood at b ; from the middle 

 of this transverse cut make a slit down- 

 ward perpendicularly, an inch or more 

 long, going also quite through to the 

 wood. This done, proceed with all 

 expedition to take off a bud, holding 

 the cutting or scion in one hand with 

 the thickest end outward, and with the 

 knife in the other hand enter it about 

 half an inch or more below a bud, cut- 

 ting near halfway into the wood of the 

 shoot, continuing it with one clean 

 slanting cut about half an inch or more 

 above the bud, so deep as to take off 

 part of the wood along with it, the 

 whole about an inch and a half long, 

 represented by c ; then directly with 

 the thumb and finger, or point of the 

 knife, slip off the v/oody part remain- 

 ing to the bud ; which done, observe 

 whether the eye or gem of the bud 

 remains perfect; if not, and a little 

 hole appears, in that part it is imperfect 

 or, as gardeners express it, the bud has 

 lost its root and another must be pre- 

 pared. If, however, it is found imprac- 



ticable to remove this woody part with- 

 out leaving a hole, let it remain, it ia 

 not absolutely objectionable. When the 

 bud has been thus prepared, slip it down 

 between the wood and bark to the bot- 

 tom of the slit ; the next operation is to 

 cut off the top part of the shield, even 

 with the horizontal first-made cut, in 

 order to let it completely into its place, 

 and to join exactly the upper edge of 

 the shield with the transverse cut, that 

 the descending sap may immediately 

 enter the bark of the shield, and pro- 

 trude granulated matter between it and 

 the wood, so as to effect a living union. 

 The parts are now to be immediately 

 bound round with a ligament of fresh 

 bass, previously soaked in water to 

 rendf-r it pliable and tough, beginning 

 a little below the bottom of the perpen- 

 dicular slit, proceeding upwards closely 

 round every part except just over the 

 eye of the bud, and continuing it a little 

 above the horizontal cut, not too tight, 

 but just sufficient to keep the whole 

 close, and exclude the air, sun, and wet, 

 as represented at d. If the stock and 

 bud are both in fit condition, budding is 

 usually performed with uniform suc- 

 cess : it is a simple mechanical opera- 

 tion, and those accustomed to the work 

 execute it with great rapidity ; an ac- 



