9 8 



GRAFTAGE. 



stock. The operation of raising the bark by means of this 

 scalpel is often called " boning." Some budders, how- 

 ever, raise the bark with the blade. A good form of blade, 

 but one seldom made, has a rounded end, the upper side 



88. Budding-knife with stationary blade (x^). 



of the curve being ground simply to a thin edge. This 

 blade may be used both for cutting the bark and loosening 

 it, thus overcoming the necessity of reversing the knife 

 every time a bud is set. * If this form of blade were com- 

 monly known it would undoubtedly soon come into favor. 

 The blade of a common budding-knife can be ground to 

 this shape. In the large fruit-tree nurseries of New York 

 state, the knife shown in Fig. 88 is in common use. This 

 is a cheap knife (costing fifteen cents or less by the dozen), 

 with a stationary blade. When using this knife, the oper- 

 ator loosens the bark with the 

 rounded edge of the blade. 

 The bud is usually cut 

 about an inch long. Most 

 budders cut from below up- 

 wards (as seen in the in- 

 verted stick in Fig. 87, and 

 in Fig. 89), but some prefer 

 to make a downward inci- 

 sion. It does not matter just 

 how the bud is cut, if the 

 surfaces are smooth and 



89. Cutting the bud. . ; . , , . 



even, and the bud is not too 



thick. Some propagators cut the buds as they go, while 

 others prefer to cut a whole stick before setting any, 

 letting each bud hang by a bit of bark at the top, and 

 which is cut off squarely when wanted, as is shown in 

 Fig. 87. On a stick a fourth or three-eighths inch through 



