294 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



undiluted with w^ter, and thai this course will give 

 a surprising thrifliness to ihem. 



It not untVequently happens that seedlings, if per- 

 mitted to produce fruit, yield only that which is 

 worthless, and hence budding or grafting becomes 

 necessary. Indeed, these are the only ways in 

 which the best, or any description of fruit, can with 

 certainty be obtained. Budding or inoculating is 

 performed by inserting the bud of one tree beneath 

 the bark of another ; and, when the union is effect- 

 ed, the tree is cut off immediately above the bud, 

 which from that time becomes the leading shoot, 

 and produces the fruit. July or August is the time 

 for budding, and it may be done at any time when 

 the bark, will peel freely, to admit the insertion of 

 the bud. The process is simple, and can be learned 

 by any one in a few hours, so that he may thus suc- 

 ceed in obtaining any choice fruit he pleases, the 

 buds of which can be procured. Nurserymen inoc- 

 ulate or bud all their seedhngs when young, that 

 there may be no mistake in the kinds or qualities of 

 their trees ; and the operation always succeeds bet- 

 ter on young trees than on larger ones. 



On large trees grafting is substituted for budding, 

 and consists in introducing a twig from a tree pro- 

 ducing the fruit it is desired to procure, into another 

 which is of little value. This twig is called a scion, 

 and is cut in the winter, before the sap has begun to 

 circulate. Scions cut in February, and kept in a 

 cool, moist place, will rarely fail of grow ing when 

 inserted, 'i'he earlier grafting can be performed 

 after the circulation of the sap has commenced ; 

 and, as soon as the danger of freezing is past, the 

 later well-preserved scions may be inserted at any 

 time during the early part of the season. In or 

 chards, or with large trees, grafting is preferable to 

 budding, and can be practised where the latter can- 

 not be performed. The tree or branch to be graft- 

 ed, when the ordinary mode is adopted, is cut or 



