204 PEACH TREE. 



Budding or Inoculating is commonly practised upon 

 all sorts of stone fruit ; such as peaches, nectarines, 

 (Cherries, plums, &,c. When the stocks are from about 

 an half an inch, or a little less, to an inch or more in 

 diameter, in the places where the buds are to be insert- 

 ed, they are then of a proper size for working. In making 

 a selection of trees, from which to inoculate, care should 

 be had to obtain the buds irom the trees bearing the finest 

 fruit ; that this fruit ripen at different times, from the 

 earliest to the latest for peaches ; and that they be tak- 

 en from trees which are good bearers, and in a healthy 

 condition. The proper season for budding, is from the 

 beginning of July to the end of August. The method 

 of perlbrming it, as described in the Orchardist^ is as fol- 

 lows : The buds preferred, are the shortest observed on 

 the middle of a young shoot, on the outside of a tree. — 

 For gathering the shoots containing the buds, a cloudy 

 day, or an early or late hour is chosen. The buds 

 should be used as soon after being gathered, as possible, 

 and the whole operation should be quickly performed. 

 In taking off the bud from the twis-, the knife is inserted 

 about half an inch above it, and a thin slice of the bjiirk, 

 and wood along with it, taken off, bringing out the knife 

 about an inch and a half below the bud. Or the knife 

 may be inserted three quarters of an inch below the 

 bud, and cut upwards. This lower part is afterwards 

 shortened and dressed, and the leaf is cut off, the stalk 

 being left about half an inch long. The portion of 

 wood is then taken out by raiding it from the bark, and 

 pulling it downwards or upwards, according as the cut 

 has been made from above or below. If the extraction 

 of the wood occasion a hole at the bud, that bud is 

 spoilt, and another must be prepared in its stead. For 

 the performance of this operation, provide a sharp 

 budding-knife, with a flat thin haft, of ivory, suitable 

 to open the bark of the stock for the admission of the 

 bud, and also with a quantity of bass strings, or woolen 

 yarn, to bind round it when inserted. On a smooth 

 part of the bark of the stock a transverse section, 

 (that is across the stock) is now made through the 

 bark down to the wood ; from this is made a longi- 



