THE GARDEN WEEK BY WEEK 



July underneath a leaf. It seems remarkable that such a slip 

 16-31 of wood will give a strong, healthy shoot, but it certainly 

 will if it is handled properly. One piece of growth will 

 give several such slips. If the base of the leaf-stalk be 

 examined when the slip has been cut out it will be seen 

 that there is a small green knot there. This knot goes 



through the bark, and 

 its base is lodged in 

 the pith or woody 

 matter of the slip. The 

 delicacy of the opera- 

 tion of budding is to 

 remove the pith without 

 tearing the knot out 

 with it. Let the amateur 

 practise on a few slips. 

 So long as he finds that 

 there is nothing but a 

 small cavity left under 

 the leaf-stalk when he 

 has pulled out the pith 

 he is under the ob- 

 ligation of confessing 

 failure and trying again. 

 But when he is able to 

 point to a green, pin- 

 head-like knot firmly 

 seated in the bark under 

 the leaf-stalk after the pith has gone, he can claim suc- 

 cess. After having got so far, he might still fail if he let 

 the bud get dry before putting it in ; it is very important 

 that it should be kept moist. The pith parts the most 

 readily from the bark after rain. If a budder wanted to 

 get his budding done at a particular time and the weather 

 284 



Fig. so.— Budding Dwarf Roses. 



a. The bud. 



b. Pith which must be carefully removed. 



c. The top cut off at the dark line. 



d. How to open the bark of the stock. 



e. The bud inserted and tied in. 



