222 



AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



a. The stock prepared for receiving the bud. 

 &. The stock, with the bud inserted and shortened. 



c. The stock, with the bud inserted and bound. 



bark, about half an inch or less long ; then, turning your knife 

 point downward, with your right fore-finger pressing upon the 

 back of the blade, the handle being held firmly between the 

 thumb and middle finger, make a straight, clean slit from an 

 inch below upward to the cross cut, forming a T. When at the 

 cross cut, and before withdrawing the knife, rack it once from 

 side to side, so as with the edge to loosen and slightly open 

 the bark at that point (Fig. 105 a) ; quickly turning the knife 

 handle down, and holding it as a pen is held in writing, pass 

 the square corner of the bone handle carefully under each edge 

 of the slit, opening it just enough to admit the bud, and no 

 more ; then, having inserted this, slip it down toward" the bot- 

 tom of the slit so far as to make it sit firmly in its place, using 

 for this purpose either the finger laid upon the piece of leaf- 

 stem and the bud, or the dull notch intended for that purpose at 

 the opposite corner of the handle (see p. 211). If the upper 

 end of the bark of the bud extend at all above the cross cut, 

 take it off by passing the knife once more along the cross line, 

 so that it will set in nicely (Fig. 105 b). Then tie it carefully 

 and tightly, beginning at the bottom, and taking special care 



