24 THE BOOK OF ROSES 



bud is situated will slip in under the bark of the stock. 

 When it is inserted the tip of the bark on which the bud 

 is, which is technically called the plate, is cut cleanly off 

 with the sharp budding-knife, so that it fits closely to 

 the stock, along the transverse cut. Then bind the two 

 firmly together with soft cotton or raffia, the cotton 

 being preferable, so that the two parts are held closely 

 but the bud is exposed. After about thirty days the 

 binding may be removed, and in November, if not 

 earlier, all the branches of the stock, except those 

 which have been budded, must be cut cleanly off with 

 a sharp knife and the budded shoots cut back to within 

 two or three buds of the inserted bud. This should 

 not be done too soon in the season. In the following 

 May the stock will require further attention. All the 

 buds of the stock below the bud must be carefully 

 removed, but those above it should be allowed to grow 

 4 or 5 inches. They then have their tops pinched off, 

 shoot out again, and are again and again pinched out, 

 until at last, in the middle of June, they are finally 

 removed. The operation of budding is best done in the 

 period between June and September, but if done early 

 in the season care must be taken that the shoots are 

 properly ripe. 



