PROPAGATION. 239 



we propagate a scarce plant to a great extent in a single 

 season, and form a much stronger and more vigorous tree, or 

 bush, or shrub in a year than we could by any other means 

 in a long period. At the base of every leaf when fully grown 

 there is a bud which is an embryo plant. This would become 

 a branch, and if cut off and struck, as it is called, — that is, 

 made to form a root, — it would be another plant, but it would 

 take years to become such a matured plant as we can, by the 

 operation of budding, make in a season. 



Budding is performed very generally on plums, peaches, 

 nectarines, and apricots, among fruit-trees, and many hard- 

 wooded plants, and roses are almost invariably propagated by 

 this means. To perform budding well, the bark of the stock 

 should admit of being easily detached from the wood, for it 

 consists of removing a bit of the bark of one subject with 

 the leaf and bud on it, and by slitting and raising the bark 

 of another, and tucking the piece mth the bud under it and 

 binding it in, making it form part of the plant it is put on, 

 which it ^tlU do in a few weeks. By cutting the other plant 

 all away but the portion which holds this bud, a new indi- 

 vidual is formed, and the old one, except as a stem for the 

 new one, is destroyed. The opportunity this gives to propa- 

 gate new and valuable varieties is almost inconceivable, for 

 the bud forms a head or a perfect tree in every respect like 

 the one it Avas taken from ; and however coarse the stock may 

 be, the delicacy, the colour, the habit, the properties generally, 

 are alike unaltered in the new plant. Perhaps, so far as 

 amateur gardeners are concerned, the most extensive operation 

 in budding is with the rose. It is a delicate proceeding, and 

 adapted for ladies. Every one who is fond of the rose can 

 obtain a few briers in autumn at any of the nurseries, or of 

 the numerous vendors who constantly employ themselves at 

 that time of the year in obtaining them from the highways 

 and hedges and in hawking them about. They are generally to 

 be had at from seven to twelve shillings per hundred. These 

 should be carefully pruned at the roots, to take off all bruised 

 ends and damaged parts, and also to bring them into a reason- 

 able compass, for they are generally taken out of the ground 

 carelessly, and have often long straggling shoots. These 

 should be planted about eighteen inches apart in the row, 

 and three feet from row to row, and planted with as much care 

 as if they Avere standard roses, with roots only just below the 

 surface 3 an upright stake about every fifth rose, and a shght 



