72 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



of the bud. Next he cuts from his bud stick a bud, as shown at 2. 

 This carries with it, on the back, a small portion of the wood of the 

 bud stick as well as the bud and bark. It was once claimed that this 

 wood should be carefully dug out, but in budding most kinds of trees 

 it is not necessary ; in fact, it may be better to leave it in ; such at 

 any rate is the general practice. The point of the bud is now inserted 

 at the opening at the top of the slit in the bark of the stock and 

 pushed down into place, as shown in figure 5. To handle the bud, the 

 part of the leaf stem which is left on is of material assistance. No- 

 thing remains now but to apply the ligature which is to hold down 

 the bark around the bud. 



There are various ways of tying in the bud. Any way will do 

 which holds down the bark closely, but not too tightly. Different 

 materials are also used, soft cotton twine, stocking yarn, strips of 

 cotton cloth, candle wicking, etc. The last-named is perhaps the best 

 material, on all accounts, although strips of cheap calico bear evenTy 

 upon the bark and do very good work. The use of twine is speedy, 

 but the strands bearing upon a narrow surface, and not being elastic, 

 they are apt to do injury by cutting into the bark unless carefully 

 watched and loosened. The fiber from basswood bark was formerly 

 largely used, but has given place to the other materials named, 

 which are more handily obtained. The buds must be examined 

 about a week or ten days after the insertion, and the ligature loos- 

 ened, for otherwise it will cut into the rapidly-growing stock. Some- 

 times trees are badly injured by neglect in this particular. 



In making June buds, where immediate growth of the bud is de- 

 sired, some growers make a hard knot with the cord around the 

 stock, above the bud, and then use the loose ends to tie the bud. 

 When the binding around the bud is loosened, the hard knot remains 

 on the stock, girdles it, and forces the sap into the bud. Thin wire, 

 known to nurserymen as "label wire," is also used for this purpose. 



In going through the nursery row, all seedlings which are large 

 enough are budded at once. In going through the row again to look 

 to the bands, if the bud is seen to be fresh looking, it is considered 

 to have "taken." In stocks where the first bud has dried up, another 

 is inserted lower down. Sometimes seedlings which were too small 

 to hold a bud at the first working over are given a bud later in the 

 season, or left for taking up for root grafting in the winter. 



In nursery practice the budder does not stop to tie his buds, but 

 is followed in the row by another man, who carries the tying ma- 

 terial, and does this part of the work. 



In selecting buds, one must be sure that he gets leaf buds, and 

 not fruit buds only. In taking buds from some kinds of trees which 

 bear on new wood, he may be obliged to take both fruit and leaf buds 

 together. This will work well if care is taken not to rub off the leaf 

 bud. It is rather easier to work with buds from young trees not yet 

 in bearing, but there is always danger that these may not be of the 

 desired variety. 



The common method of budding thus described is used on all 

 common orchard fruits. Special styles of budding for special fruits 

 will be described in the chapters treating of those fruits. 



