THE ALMOND. 23 



special date or time can be given for budding trees of 

 any kind, but it is always to be done while the stocks 

 are in active growth, because the bark must part freely 

 from the wood underneath, in order to admit of insert- 

 ing the bud under it. If the buds are set too early in 

 the season there is danger of a premature growth ; that 

 is, of pushing out a shoot in the fall instead of remaining 

 dormant until the following spring. Under certain con- 

 ditions, however, and for special purposes, it may be 

 advisable to force the buds as soon as they have formed 

 a union with the stock, but as a rule, in the propagation 

 of hardy and half-hardy trees, it is better to keep the 

 buds dormant during the cool or cold winter months. 



Here in the Northern States we usually begin to 

 look over our stocks during the latter part of July or 

 first week in August, and note their progress and condi- 

 tion. Should they show the least signs of cessation of 

 growth, we begin budding them, and push the work as 

 rapidly as possible. If the season is a wet one the stocks 

 may continue to grow and remain in good condition for 

 budding until the middle of September ; but in a dry 

 season they may cease to grow in August, and it is these 

 variable conditions which gives to the close observer and 

 man of experience such an advantage over the novice in 

 the propagation of plants. It is better to begin budding 

 too early than to be a few days too late. 



The operation called budding consists in taking a 

 bud, with a small portion 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 the more perfect the union. 

 For instance, the cultivated peach and almond are sup- 



