BUDDING. 45 



soon. Where the bud is living, cut off the stock 

 three or four inches above. As the bud grows it 

 should be tied to this upper section of the stock for 

 support. After the bud has started on its second 

 growth, if the stock is small it should then be cut 

 off just above the bud ; if larger, a longer time 

 should be allowed before cutting off the stock close 

 to the bud. 



Before leaving this subject, attention is called to 

 the importance of having the top of the bud fit 

 neatly against the bark above. The law governing 

 the growth of trees is this : the sap passing upward 

 through the pores of the sap-wood is elaborated 

 through the leaf. It is only after the new sap has 

 entered the leaf and absorbed carbon from the at- 

 mosphere that it is ready to make new wood. The 

 sap having secured its carbon descends the tree 

 mainly between the bark and the wood. As it de- 

 scends evaporation is carried on through the pores 

 of the bark, and the thickened sap makes a deposit 

 along the line of its descent and around the trunk 

 of the tree just under the bark. This thickened 

 sap presently hardens into wood. It is this fact, 

 that new wood is generally formed by this down- 

 ward flow of sap, which makes it so important that 

 the top of the bud should come in close contact 

 with the upper bark. Placed thus it is put in con- 

 tact with and in the way of the direct current of 

 life. Placed otherwise, its chance of life is dependent 

 upon lateral circulation or absorption. 



