PROPAGATION BY BUDDING. 



189 



rapid work in the nursery. It may be said, however, 

 that it is immaterial what form of knife is employed, 

 provided it has a keen edge and is dexterously used. 

 The material most commonly 

 used for tying in the hud is called 

 Bass, and may he procured at 

 almost any seed-store, or it can 

 he obtained in the form of Bass 

 mats ; but when it cannot be 

 readily had in either of these 

 forms, and Basswood trees are 

 at hand, their inner bark may 

 be stripped from them in the 

 spring, as soon as it parts freely 

 from the wood. By immersing 

 this bark in water from two to 

 four weeks (varying according to 

 the temperature of the water), 

 the bark will part with its mu- 

 cilaginous matter, after which it 

 may be divided into thin layers 

 resembling fine silk, being very 

 soft and pliable. Another good 

 tying material is known in the 

 trade under the name of Kaffia 

 or Roffia, and of late years it has 

 been extensively imported for 

 this purpose, and is now kept on 

 sale at most seed-stores. It is 

 the cuticle of the leaves of a 

 large Palm, the Rhaphia Ruffia, 

 indigenous to Madagascar and Mauritius. Raffia is some- 

 what softer and more pliable than the ordinary Bass bark 

 but does not hold its form as well, being inclined to roll 

 up instead of remaining flat when handled in tying. Bass, 

 and similar materials, should be immersed in water for an 



Fig. 72. STICK OF BUDS. 



