THB PROPAGATION OP FRUIT TREES. 



16 



operation. After having made the incisions in the bark as 

 just described, hold the scion or stick of buds in the left hand, 

 and cut out one of the buds, together with a strip of the bark 

 and a very thin slice of the wood, beginning to cut about half 

 an inch above the bud, and bringing the knife out about half an 

 inch below the bud. Figure 1 1 represents a bud cut from the 

 scion and ready for insertion. If the wood be very ripe and hard, 

 the slice of wood should be exceedingly thin in- 

 deed, but if the wood be green and soft, the thick- 

 ness of the slice of wood may be increased in pro- 

 portion to its greenness, but never to exceed one- 

 third of the thickness of the stick or. scion. iNow 

 with the rounded part of the blade of the bud- 

 ding knife gently raise the bark of the stock at 

 the comers, and holding the bud by the leaf- 

 stalk, insert the lower end under the bark, and 

 slide it down the perpendicular slit, until the 

 upper end of the bark of the bud coincides withFio. ii. Fio. i3. 

 the cross cut or horizontal cut of the X* ^ ^ little of the 

 bark of the bud extends above the cross cut, it may be cut off 

 with the budding knife, so as to form a square shoulder, exactly 

 fitting to the bark of the stock above. In practice it is most 

 convenient to hold the bud between the forefinger and thumb of 

 the left hand, and at the same time that the comers of the bark 

 are raised with the right hand, insert the lower end of the bark 

 of the bud under the raised bark. Figure 13 shows the bud in 

 place. After the bud has been inserted it should be tied in its 

 place by winding around the stock a strip of bass-matting that has 

 been previously moistened in water to make it soft or pliable, or 

 wooUen or cotton yam will answer very well, taking care to cover 

 aU the wound, leaving only the bud with its foot stalk projecting. 

 It is better to begin to wind at the lower end and proceed up- 

 wards, winding the ligature as smoothly and neatly as possible, 

 yet firm and close, so that the bud may be kept in place and the 

 bark smooth and snug to the stock. Figuie 14 represents the 



