Propagation. 41 



support will be needed, and the stump may be wholly cut away, and 

 the wound allowed to heal by the rapid formation of new wood. 



Buds inserted by midsummer, may be made to grow the same 

 season by heading down the stock when adhesion has taken place ; 

 but although often attempted, no advantage has resulted from this 

 practice, as the growth is comparatively feeble, and in consequence 

 of its badly matured wood often perishes the following winter. 

 Even where it escapes it does not exceed in size at the close of the 

 second season the straight and vigorous shoots of the spring. 



The essential requisites for success in budding are, first, a thrifty, 

 rapidly growing stock, so that the bark will peel very freely. Se- 

 condly, a proper time ; not so early that there will be too little cam- 

 bium or mucilaginous cement between the bark and the wood, for 

 the adhesion of the bud ; nor so late that the bark will not peel, nor 

 the subsequent growth sufficiently cement the bud to the stock. 

 Thirdly, buds sufficiently mature. Fourthly, a keen flat knife, for 

 shaving off the bud, that it may lie close in contact upon the wood 

 of the stock. Fifthly, the application of a ligature with moderate 

 pressure, causing the bud to fit the stock closely. 



When stocks are in the best condition, it is unnecessary to raise 

 the bark any further than to admit the lower point of the bud, which, 

 as it is pushed downwards, performs this operation in the most per- 

 fect manner. When the bark does not peel freely enough for this 

 purpose, success becomes uncertain. 



Budding is performed in summer, grafting in spring, and both 

 have their advantages. Budding is a simpler operation, and more 

 successfully performed by a novice. It is the best means to multi- 

 ply the peach and nectarine, grafting rarely proving successful at 

 the North. It is more rapidly performed, and at a season not 

 crowded with the labors of transplanting. It admits a repetition the 

 same summer, in cases of failure, the stocks remaining uninjured. 

 But in all cases thrifty stocks are needed, while grafting will suc- 

 ceed on those older and less vigorous. Grafting requires less care 

 subsequently, as no ligatures need removing, nor stocks heading 

 down, and may be conveniently employed as a remedy for failures 

 in the previous summer's budding. 



Terminal Budding. It sometimes happens, where buds are 

 scarce, that the terminal bud on the shoot may be used to advan- 

 tage. In this case, the wood is cut sloping downwards, and the 

 insertion is made as usual, Fig. 52, except that it becomes neces- 

 sary to apply the whole of the ligature below the bud. The buds 

 on small side-shoote which are not more than an inch or two long, 



