HORTICU-LTUKAL PkOC ESSES, 



63 



6. Budding. — Budding consists in introducing the bud of one 

 tree or shrub, with a portion of the bark and wood adliering 

 to it, below the bark of another tree or shrub. The operation 

 is thus performed : With a sharp budding-knife, upon a smooth 

 place on the side of the stock, cut a longitudinal slit an inch or 

 more long. Across the top of this cut a transverse slit from a 

 quarter to half an inch long, so that both slits, taken together, 

 shall resemble the letter T. Next, cut from your stick of buds 

 a thin slice of bark, with a little wood in the central portion 

 of it, entering the knife about half or three fourths of an inch 

 below, and bringing it out about as far above a bud. This 

 slice of bark and wood, taken together, is called a 'bud^ the part 

 of the bud which grows into a twig being technically called 

 its eye. 



"With the ivory haft of your budding-knife, or, if you have 

 not such a knife, with any little wedge of wood or ivory, raise 

 up the corners of the slit in the stock. Taking hold of the 

 bud by its foot-stalk, enter it, and gently push it down to the 

 bottom of the incision. The eye of the bud will t 

 now be from one fourth to three fourths of an inch 

 from the transverse part of the slit. The part of the 

 bud, if any, projecting above this transverse slit, 

 should be cut off, by passing the knife through it, into 

 the transverse slit again, so that the upper end of the 

 bud and this transverse part of the slit shall make a 

 good joint together. Bind the bud firmly with shreds 

 of bass-matting, so as to cover every part of it except 

 the eye. Woolen yarn or corn husks will answer 

 when no matting is at hand. The stock (trunk or 

 branch) should be from an eighth of an inch to not 

 more than an inch in diameter. 



To prepare a stick of buds for budding, take a scion 

 of the present season's growth, and cut off the por- 

 tions of each end of it containing buds that are im- 

 perfectly developed. ISText, cut off the leaves at a ^^°^* 

 pouit about in the middle of their stems or footstalks. The 



