GBAFTIKQ AND BUDDING. 23 



those near the base take less readily, and those from the 

 end are said to make too much wood. If the bark will 

 not rise, i. <?., will not part freely from the wood, the bud 

 will not take. 



Dexterity and quickness are absolutely necessary in 

 budding, as the bark and bud must not have time to 

 . dry before the operation is completed. Therefore have 

 ready all that will be necessary before beginning. A 

 budding-knife is the usual and best tool, but any good 

 sharp knife will do : some bass cut and divided into 

 pieces of convenient length and width, or else worsted 

 or cotton in lengths, and the twigs with the buds, 

 divested of leaves and placed in water, must all be at 

 hand. 



Before cutting the bud, prepare the incision readyto 

 receive it. Determine the exact spot where the bud is 

 to go, and cut a horizontal incision of sufficient length 

 to admit the shield attached to the bud, about the third 

 of an inch in length, a little more or a little less, 

 according to the size of the bud. Then make a per- 

 pendicular cut to meet the centre of this, beginning 

 half an inch (more or less) below the horizontal cut, 

 and cutting upwards to meet it at a right angle. The 

 whole incision will then have the form of a T, and 

 should be deep enough to go just down to the wood. 

 Some persons wrap a bit of something wet round it. 

 Cut the bud with a small oval slice of the bark and 

 wood to it. If the bud is very backward, do not disturb 

 the small shave of wood behind it, but if it be pretty 

 well formed this may be carefully removed with the 

 point of the knife. The root of the bud behind the 

 shield should look plump. 



Cut and prepare the bud as quickly as possible, raise 

 the bark on the stock a little down each side of the 

 longitudinal cut in the T-shaped incision with the thin 

 end of the budding-knife, if one be used, and then slip 

 the little shield of the bud in at the cross cut, and 

 downwards under the bark to the bottom of the T ; cut 

 off the top of the shield to fit the top of the T, and tie 

 the bud in pretty firmly with wet bass or worsted, 



