JULY.] 433 



THE NURSERY. 



Budding or Inoculating, 



THE budding or inoculating of cherries and plums, and all 

 such other trees and shrubs as are subject to become bark-bound 

 in autumn, is generally commenced in the middle states about the 

 fifteenth of this month, earlier or later according to the season or 

 the quantity to be budded ; these and others of the like nature 

 should now be attended to, as they seldom work freely after the 

 twenty -fifth of July. But this you may always easily know by try- 

 ing the buds ; and when they readily part from the wood, and also 

 the bark of the stock rises or separates freely, then the work may 

 be done. 



But let it be particularly remarked, that every kind of tree or 

 shrub that makes new autumn shoots, or that continues in a free 

 growth, or flow of sap, should be budded either in August, or before 

 the twentieth of September, according as each kind is early or late 

 in ripening its wood, that is, to bud each sort before it becomes 

 bark-bound ; and likewise observe that all those kinds, which are 

 likely to become bark-bound early in autumn, ought to be budded 

 in this month, while the juices flow freely in the stocks and buds. 



If trees or shrubs are inoculated in the early part of this month 

 whose nature it is to take a second growth in autumn, the buds will 

 then start, and the shoots produced therefrom, not having a suffi- 

 cient length of season to ripen the wood, will either be destroyed 

 the ensuing winter, or so much injured as never to make good 

 trees : therefore, budding ouyht to be performed on the respective 

 kinds, at such periods as there will be no hazard of their growing 

 before the ensuing spring, when they will have the advantage of the 

 whole season for perfecting their wood, and of acquiring a sufficient 

 strength and texture before winter. 



Apricols if worked on plum stocks, or on those of its own 

 kind, should be budded in this month, but if on peach or almond, 

 August will be a preferable period. 



Pears may likewise be inoculated late in this month, but as to 

 peaches, nectarines, almonds, and apples, if done now, the insert- 

 ed buds would shoot in the course of the present season, and conse- 

 quently be of little value. 



The stocks of cherries, plums, and pears, that were budded last 

 summer, or grafted in spring, and that have miscarried, may now 

 be inoculated with the same kinds of fruit, for those will succeed, 

 either by grafting or budding. 



Budding generally succeeds best when performed in cloudy wea- 

 ther, or in the morning or evening ; for the great power of the 

 mid-day sun, is apt to dry and shrivel the cuttings and buds, and 

 prevent the free union, that might be expected immediately to take 

 place in a favourable season j at all events, let the operation be per- 



3 K 



