GENERAL PRACTICE. BUDDING. n 7 



ill it, and as each young shoot is removed let all the leaves be cut off within a quarter 

 of an inch of the petioles, or footstalks ; the footstalks serve to handle the buds by. 

 Place the young shoots on end in the water, numbering or naming them to secure 

 accuracy, for nothing can be more disappointing than misnamed fruit trees. 



All being in readiness, the operator having tying material by his side, and a very 

 sharp budding knife in his hand, he can proceed in two ways: first, turning his back on 

 the stock, a couple of feet or more in height, for such stocks are generally branched a 

 little, and by backing up to them the axillary branches are forced right and left out of 

 his way ; second, bending the stock over a little and holding it between his left arm and 

 his left log. He can then reach down to a smooth part on the bark, as near the ground 

 as it is desirable to insert the bud. This varies with different fruits and forms of trees, 

 as will be shown. The operator then takes a young shoot out of the water-pot and, 

 commencing at the lower end, cuts off a slice of bark and wood about one and a-half inch 

 long, containing one of the buds about the middle. Then with the flattened haft of the 

 knife he removes the wood by inserting the ivory under the bark at the upper end of the 

 slip containing the bud, and with a jerk forces the wood out. This is effected by bending 

 the wood and not the bark. This is bruised a little where the haft is inserted, and hence 

 the reason for choosing the upper end of the slice, for this end will be cut off presently. 

 If the wood is properly extracted the pith will be seen leading to the eye as a green 

 prominence. Unless the eye looks full the bud will not grow ; at least, it is not a good 

 bud ; for though eyes looking hollow sometimes grow, there is danger, if the stock is dry, 

 of the hollow eye not filling up before the bud perishes from want of sap. Some consider 

 that extracting the wood is unnecessary. We shall adhere to the established practice ; 

 therefore, if a hole appears at the back of the bud after removing the wood, it is a sign 

 that the shoot is not sufficiently matured, the bud not properly organised, or that it has 

 been drawn out in extracting the piece of wood, or rather albuminous matter, and should 

 be rejected. The slip prepared, as described, with a bud in the centre, is called the 

 "shield," and is ready for insertion. 



Next cut a slip about an inch long with a cross-cut at the top, making a long T, on 

 the stock, the cuts going just through to the bark ; then raise the bark from the wood 

 by beginning at the angles on both sides of the T. Insert the shield under the two angles 

 of the flaps of the bark and slip it down to the bottom of the longitudinal cut. The bud 

 will push down readily by the footstalk, but if more pressure is needed use the edge of 

 the haft on the top of the shield, taking care not to bruise any portion that will reach 



