PBOPAGATION BY BUDDING. 187 



CHAPTER XVI. 

 PROPAGATION BY BUDDING. 



Budding, is the art of taking a bud, with a small por- 

 tion of the bark adjoining, from one plant and inserting 

 it in another, or in some other part of the same plant 

 from which it was taken. The physiological principles 

 which govern the operation are that there must exist an 

 affinity between the plant from which the bud is taken 

 and the one., upon which it is to be placed, and the nearer 

 the relationship the more readily will it unite and perfect 

 the union. While the science of botany assists us in 

 determining the relationships between plants, it is only 

 by practical experience that the affinity between the 

 various species can be determined. Two species of trees 

 of the same genus may appear to be botanically very 

 closely allied, and yet no permanent union can be effected 

 between the wood of the two, and in such, cases practical 

 experience must necessarily become our only guide. 



In budding it is very important that the har^; of the 

 stock should pjirt readily from ,the wood ; and to secure 

 free and easy separation it is necessary that the operation 

 should be performed when the flow of sap .,is abundant, 

 because if the bud is inserted at this time it immediately 

 comes in contact with that nourishment which it requires 

 for its support. The sap which has been assimilated by 

 the leaves descends mainly through the inner bark and 

 on the external surface of the wood of the stock ; it 

 therefore comes in direct contact with the inside of the 

 bark adhering to the bud,_and is transmitted through the 

 exposed cells to the bud itself, which thus becomes 

 attached to the plant upon which it is placed ; or, in 

 other words, a union is formed between the two. 



For budding are necessary a small knife for preparing 

 the buds for insertion and opening the bark of the stock 

 to admit them, and a quantity of some material to tie 



