NUTS WALNUTS, PROPAGATION. 



43 



Budding is best performed by the annular system (Fig. 55, page 176, Vol. II.), upon 

 shoots of the preceding year where the wood is perfectly round. The ring buds must be 

 taken from the base of the current year's shoots where the buds are minute and almost 

 concealed in the bark, and the proper time for the work is early in September, but buds 

 may be inserted near the summit of the wood of the preceding year, i.e., close to the 

 base of the annual shoot, by the shield method, using the small buds at the base of the 



Fig. 12. BUDS, BLOSSOM, AND BEARING OF THE WALNUT. 



References : J, twig : t, male (catkin) blossom buds ; u, female (fruit) blossom buds ; v, wood bud. /, twig in 

 bloom : w, male (staminate) flower, borne in catkins ; x, female (pistillate pistils and embryo fruit) flowers. K, twig 

 in fruit growth from the bud I u : y, basal buds best for budding ; z, growth from the wood bud / v, terminated 

 by a female blossom bud. 



one year's wood ; this is best done in September, though it is sometimes performed in 

 spring. 



Grafting should be performed when the sap is in full flow, the scions being taken 

 off several weeks previously, and laid in damp soil in a north border. Saddle grafting 

 is most successful when the stock and scion are of the same size. Whip and cleft 

 grafting (pages 122, 131, Yol. I.) may be employed when the stock is larger than the scion, 



