BUDDING. 49 



vigorous trees keep green a long time, and as long as the 

 leaves are green and the sap flowing, may be budded. 

 But it is not safe to put it off to the last of the season, 

 as a sudden frost or dry cold spell may kill the leaves 

 or chill the sap, and thus prevent the bud from forming a 

 complete union with the stem in the fall, and if not then 

 formed, it never will be afterwards. It is not best to 

 commence too early, either, for if the season is warm and 

 wet, or much protracted, there is danger that the young 

 buds will start to grow, and either burst off or spend their 

 strength too soon. Buds that start in the fall are not 

 likely to do so well. 



BUDDERS. 



Budding is a trade ; and in no department of agricul- 

 ture is skilled labor more essential than in this. The 

 nurseryman cannot be too careful in the selection of his 

 budders. Experimenters, novices, bunglers, are all to be 

 rejected without hesitation. They are dear at any price. 

 Too dear if they would work for nothing and board them- 

 selves. The reason is obvious. If the buds do not take, 

 you lose not only the budders' wages, but you lose the 

 trees themselves. They can only be successfully budded 

 the first year of their growth, and if you fail then, you 

 fail altogether. Hence the importance of securing skilled 

 labor in this department expert budders, who will do 

 their work well. In almost every community there are 

 pretenders, who, on all occasions, are ready to offer their 

 services to do anything and everything that may be re- 

 quired. They make loud professions of their knowledge 

 and ability to give satisfaction. In nine cases out of 

 ten they are quacks, without knowledge, experience, 

 or skill, and no man who understands his business will 

 employ or countenance them. The reason that good 

 ones are so rare is, that, except in a few localities, peach 

 4 



