44 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 



incision in' the stock should be made with a down- 

 ward cut and about three fourths of an inch long. 

 At the top of this incision make a cross incision, 

 each time only cutting through the bark. With 

 the point of the knife, turning the back of the blade 

 to the wood so as not to dull the blade, raise the 

 bark at the top of and on either side of the first in- 

 cision, so as to enable you to insert and push down 

 the bud. If the sap is flowing freely the bud in its 

 downward motion will easily lift the bark, and as 

 it takes its position exclude the air from beneath it 

 and the wood of the stock. After the bud has 

 been pushed partly down with the fingers, place 

 the blade of the knife one fourth of an inch above 

 the eye of the bud and perpendicular to the line of 

 the first incision, press the knife through the bark 

 of the bud, and by a downward motion force the 

 bud down till the knife comes directly over the sec- 

 ond incision. Tie in the bud with strips of cloth a 

 quarter or a half inch wide, or, what is better, with 

 strings of woollen yarn, as its elasticity will not al- 

 low the strangling of the bud so soon. In tying 

 do not bring the cloth or string in contact with the 

 eye of the bud. So wrap as to hold the bud firmly 

 in its place, and to exclude the rain if any should 

 fall soon after budding. Revisit the buds eight 

 or ten days after they have been inserted. If they 

 are living, take the wrapping from that part of the 

 bud below the eye. The wrapping above the eye 

 may be loosened, but it should not be taken off so 



