PRONG- AND PLATE-BUDDING. 



105 



younger the limb, the greater the proportion of buds which 

 may be expected to live. Sometimes old trees are severely 

 pruned the year before the budding is to 

 be done, in order to obtain young shoots 

 in which to set the buds. In fruit trees six 

 or seven years old or less, budding is fully 

 as advantageous as grafting. New varie- 

 ties are also budded into old branches in order 

 to hasten bearing of the bud, for the purpose of 

 testing the variety. Here budding has a distinct 

 advantage over grafting, as it uses fewer buds, and 

 the wood of new sorts is often scarce. 



Prong-budding. A modification of the com- $6. Prong- 

 mon shield-bud is the use of a short prong or spur bud ( Kl )- 

 in the place of a simple bud. The bud is cut in essentially 

 the same manner as the shield-bud (Fig. 96). This is chiefly 

 used upon the Pacific coast for nut trees, particularly for 

 the walnut, and when the trees are dormant. The method 

 is very much like grafting, for the stock is cut off just above 

 the bud when the operation is performed, and the wound, 

 in addition to being tied, is covered over with grafting wax. 

 In budding the walnut, it is essential that nearly all the 

 wood be removed from the bud, in order to bring as much 

 as possible of the bark in direct contact with the stock. 

 This is sometimes called twig-budding. 



Plate -budding is a method sometimes em- 

 ployed with the olive, and is probably adapted 

 to other species. A rectangular incision is 

 made through the bark of the stock, and the 

 flap of bark is turned down (Fig. 97). A bud 

 is cut of similar shape, with no wood attached, 

 and it is inserted in the rectangular space, and 

 is then covered with the flap, which is brought 

 97. Plate-bud- U P an< 3 tied. The subsequent treatment of the 

 ding (x%). j^d j s similar to that of the ordinary shield-bud. 

 A method of winter budding used at the Texas Experi- 



