8 



HOW TO BUD. 



August, although, if the growth of the seedlings is likely to 

 mature earlier, by reason of drouth, leaf-blight, or insects, 

 they must be budded earlier. Or, if the season is moist 

 and warm, it may be done as late as September. Budding- 

 must be done before severe freezing, as that causes a 

 thickening or maturing of the soft cells of the cambium 

 layer of the bark, thus making the union of the bud and 

 stock much more difficult and very uncertain of success. 

 Before beginning the operation of budding, the stocks 

 should be carefully prepared by trimming off all of the 

 lower branches and leaves for three or four inches from 

 the ground, so as not to delay the work of cutting and 

 inserting the buds. 



The material used for tying may be the bast fibre 

 obtained from the Russian mats that come around Russian 

 iron. This is cut into lengths of from 10 inches to one f\ 

 foot, according to the size of the stock to be budded, and f \ 

 separated into thin, smooth bands of one-fourth of an inch "* '^ 

 in width. Cotton warp obtained from cotton factories is Fl - 5< 

 being extensively used in some nurseries on account of its greater 

 strength. The material used must be such that it will not shrink 

 upon being wet, nor expand or loosen when dry. The bands are 

 used in a moist condition ; which is preserved, while in the field, 

 by putting them in a " wrapper "a roll of cloth lined with a 

 sheet of oiled paper. 



The knife used must be sharp and with a thin blade rounded at 

 the end, as illustrated by Fig. (*-. The common shoe-knife, with a 



short blade, is now most 

 generally used; the upper 

 part of the point being 

 rounded over so as to 

 ''i:-- '> answer the purpose of the 



ivory blade of the old style budding knife. 



How TO BUD. The process of budding is illustrated by Figs. 

 7 to 11. The conditions of success are: 1, the stock must be in a 

 vigorous growing state, so that the bark will peel easily; 2, the 

 buds must be well matured; 3, the knife must be sharp; 4, the 

 work must be done rapidly ; 5, the buds must be firmly and evenly 

 bound in place. 



When everything is ready for the work, the first thing is to 

 prepare a lot of bud-sticks (Fig. 7). Shoots of medium size are 

 selected, taking care to get only those that have but one leaf at a 

 joint, as where there is more than one leaf, there are generally 

 one or more fruit buds. The leaves are cut off, leaving about 

 one-fourth of an inch of the petiole or stem for a handle with 

 which to insert the bud. The bud-sticks are kept from drying by 

 using a wrapper, as for the bands. Where much budding is to 

 be done, two persons are generally employed ; one to cut and put in 

 the buds, and one to tie or wrap them. 



