Propagation 



accommodated in the slot, but if the bud- shield is 

 too long the piece which protrudes must be cut off. 



Raffia or worsted is used to tie up the wound 

 after the bud is inserted, care being taken to leave 

 a small opening where the bud just shows in the axil 

 of the leaf stalk. 



The tie should be loosened about a month after 

 the operation to allow the shoot to swell naturally. 



A lady pupil once entered this direction in her 

 note-book : " A month after the ceremony the knot 

 should be untied." This referred to Budding, of 

 course. 



WHEN TO BUD. Standard roses budded in June 

 make a good deal of growth which has time to 

 ripen before winter, then, in the following year the 

 " heads " are as big as the average two-year-old. 



Opinions differ as to the best time for budding. 

 Some people start in June, others like to leave the 

 operation till August so that the buds remain 

 dormant all winter, and the majority of gardeners 

 choose the middle of the budding period. In the 

 latter case many of the buds make weak growth 

 late in the season, and this young wood may be 

 destroyed by frost later on. On the whole the best 

 plan is, I think, to spread the operation over the 

 whole period, roughly from mid- June to mid- August 

 when the weather allows, and when buds are pro- 

 curable. We do not then have " all our eggs in one 

 basket." 



WATERING. In districts which are not favoured 

 with summer rains, the stocks should be well watered 

 before budding is commenced. A thorough soaking 

 with plain water every day and for about three days 

 previous to budding is often necessary in dry weather, 



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