Cultivation of the Orange and Lemon. 131 



require at the time, each with its shield of bark, and 

 drop them into clean water before you commence 

 their insertion. If your stock is well grown, and has 

 long stems, two buds may be inserted on one stem, 

 one above the other, on the north, or shady side of the 

 stem. If the stems are short, one bud will do. For 

 the thicker stems, select cuttings which will give 

 shields of about the same thickness ; for thinner 

 stems, smaller shields are better. Make a longitudinal 

 cut through the bark in the middle of the stem to be 

 budded on about an inch long, and three or four 

 inches from the ground. Slightly bend the part cut 

 so as to make a sort of concavity towards you. This 

 bending will enable you to lift the bark of the stock 

 much more easily. By means of the handle edge of 

 the budding-knife lift up the bark on both sides 

 sufficiently so as to enable you to slip in a shield. 

 Take the shield by its little handle and insert it, bud 

 upwards, carefully under the bark of the stock, so as 

 to place the bud and handle in the middle of the slit ; 

 adjust the shield neatly to the wood beneath, and 

 straighten the stem. By this the two bark edges 

 will close tightly over the shield. See that the 

 latter is flat against the wood. Finally, bandage the 

 stem tightly above and below the bud. 



The best bandage is that of dry plantain stem, soaked 

 in water, and cut into thin strips a quarter of an inch 

 or so wide, and cleaned of all pith. If sufficiently 

 soaked, it makes a pliable, strong, and efficient band- 

 age. The bandage should be applied from below, 

 with one end secured under a loop, and after two or 

 three turns below, and as many above the bud, the end 

 of the bandage should be drawn through a loop and 

 tightened, so as to secure it firmly. The object of the 

 bandage is not only to keep the bark, shield, and wood 



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