132 



Oranges and Lemons of India. 



in close proximity, till they all unite, but to prevent air 

 getting into the slit, and drying the bark and shield.* 

 The whole length of the slit, therefore, should be 

 evenly bandaged. The shorter the slit, consistent with 

 ease in inserting the shield, the better the operation. 

 A practised hand can bud hundreds of plants in a day, 

 and the more practised it becomes, the more neatly 

 and safely will this easy though delicate operation be 

 performed. It is a good plan to irrigate the ground 

 one or two days before budding. The budding opera- 

 tion had better be done in the evening or early morning, 

 and a full watering should be given to the budded 

 plants immediately after. These appear trifling pre- 

 cautions, but upon them will often depend the success 

 or failure of budding. If the young trees are in the 

 shade, such as that of agast trees, planted especially, 

 so much the better. 



A week or so after budding, if successful, the handle 

 of the shield will drop off on the slightest touch. This 

 means that the shield has adhered, and is fed by the 

 stock. If the handle is dry, and will not easily drop 

 off, the chances are the shield is dead, and a few days 

 later this same stock can be rebudded higher up or 

 lower down. 



As the weather grows warmer, the foreign bud will 

 begin to grow, and then the main shoot or shoots ol 

 the stock should have their tops pinched off so as 

 check their growth and help that of the new bud. 

 Should any of the stock buds appear on the stem, they 

 should be removed with the same object. Watering 

 should now be carefully attended to, and slight surfaa 

 leafage will economise water. As the bud grows, the 

 stock stem may be gradually reduced. I think it a 



* For this reason, perhaps, the middle of January is a better time 

 for Upper India than later, provided the bark can be easily detached. 



