Book IV. 



PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS. 



2058. Shield-budding reversed, or reversed j, budding, differs from the former in having 

 the transverse cut made at the bottom of the perpendicular slit, instead of at its top, and 

 of course the shield is reversed in its position. This mode is represented as preferable to 

 the other by such as contend that the sap rises in the bark equally with the wood ; but as 

 this opinion is now generally considered as exploded, the first, or T mode, may justly be 

 considered as the most scientific mode of budding. Professor Thouin describes shield- 

 budding reversed under the name of Schnerwoogth. The advantages attending it, he says, 

 are, that it is not easily drowned with sap or srum ; and the disadvantages, that it often 

 fails when there is a scarcity of sap. It is practised occasionally in the orange-nurseries 

 near Genoa, as may be seen in the plants imported to this country. 



2059. Scalope-budding consists in paring a thin tongue-shaped section of bark from the 

 side of the stock ; and in taking a similar section from the shoot of buds, in neither 

 case removing the wood. The section or shield containing the bud is then laid on the 

 corresponding scollop in the stock ; its upper edge exactly fitted, as in shield-budding, 

 and at least one of its edges, as in whip-grafting. After this, it is tied in the usual 

 way. The advantages of this mode are, that it can be performed when the wood and 

 bark do not separate freely ; on trees having very stiff, thick, suberose barks, and at any 

 season of the year. Its disadvantages are, that it requires longer time to perform the 

 operation, and is less certain of success. The French gardeners often bud their roses in 

 this manner in spring ; and if they fail, they have a second chance in July by using the 

 common mode. 



2060. Budding with double ligatures is a mode invented by Knight, and described 

 by him (Hort. Trans, vol. i. 194.) as " a new and expeditious mode of budding." The 

 operations are performed in the manner first above described ; but instead of one liga- 

 ture, two are applied, one above the bud inserted upon the transverse section through 

 the bark ; the other, which had no farther office than that of securing the bud, was 

 applied below in the usual way. As soon as the buds had attached themselves, the 

 lower ligatures were taken off; but the others were suffered to remain. " The pas- 

 sage of the sap upwards was in consequence much obstructed, and the inserted buds 

 began to vegetate strongly in July (being inserted in June) ; and when these had afforded 

 shoots about four inches long, the remaining ligatures were taken off, to permit the ex- 

 cess of sap to pass on ; and the young shoots were nailed to the wall. Being there pro- 

 perly exposed to light, their wood ripened well, and afforded blossoms in the succeeding 

 spring ; and these would," he adds, " no doubt, have afforded fruit ; but that, leaving 

 my residence, I removed my trees," &c. 



2061. Future treatment. In a fortnight at farthest after budding, such as have adhered 

 may be known by their fresh appearance at the eye ; and in three weeks all those which 

 have succeeded will be firmly united with the stock, and the parts being somewhat 

 swelled in most species, the bandage must be loosened, and a week or two afterwards 

 finally removed. The shield and bud now swell in common with the other parts of the 

 stock ; and nothing more requires to be done till spring, when, just before the rising of 

 the sap, they are to be headed down close to the bud, by an oblique cut, terminating 

 about an eighth or a quarter of an inch above the shield. In some cases, however, as in 

 grafting, a few inches of the stalk is left for the first season, and the young shoot tied to 

 it for protection from the winds. 



2062. The instruments and materials for budding are merely the budding-knife 

 (Jig. 110.) and bass ligatures. 



Subsect. 6. Propagation by Cuttings. 



2063. Propagation by cuttings has been long known, and is abundantly simple when 

 applied to such free-growing hardy shrubs, as the willow (Jig. 383. a) or the gooseberry 

 (b) ; but considered as the chief mode of propagating most of the ericeae, myrteac, pro- 



teaceae, &c. becomes one of the most delicate and difficult modes of continuing the 

 species, and fifty years ago was an operation known to very few of even the first-rate 

 gardeners. It may be considered, as to the choice of cuttings, their preparation, their 

 insertion in the soil, and their future management. 



