46 FRUIT GARDEN COMPANION. 



the shoot, it must be at once evident, that it 

 should be in the very best state in order to form an 

 union ; to the contrary of this, we often see trees 

 operated upon, that are old and dried up, or have 

 no sap to feed the inserted bud ; the success of such 

 operations require no inquiry or consideration fur- 

 ther than that it is certain that the result will be use- 

 less, and the trees where the incisions are made, 

 will be scarified and disfigured. Therefore, when 

 budding is intended to be done, the principal ob- 

 ject should be to choose young healthy wood, full 

 of sap. 



The mode of Inoculation. Having the trees of 

 the above healthy description, and the proper sea- 

 son being at hand, the business may be done in the 

 following manner : at the proper season, when the 

 plants to be inoculated are in a right condition, pre- 

 pare for the operation by collecting healthy shoots 

 of the summer's growth, of such kinds as are inten- 

 ded to be increased. When the shoots are taken 

 from the trees, they are to be divested of their 

 leaves, leaving a part of the forestalk to the length 

 of half an inch ; they are then to be kept damp un- 

 til they are inserted, which should be as soon as 

 possible after being separated from the trees. 



There are many ways of inserting buds, but I 

 shall confine myself to the most general, and, I be- 

 lieve most successful method, which is performed 

 by making an incision in the tree intended to be in- 

 oculated, in this form, T, by first cutting through 

 the rind, on the top, in a transverse manner, holding 

 the knife between the fore finger and thumb : the 

 bottom incision is made by drawing the point of the 

 knife downward an inch ; the thin end of the haft is 



