BUDDING. 307 



house it is done in the winter or early in the spring. 

 The stocks are ripened off, and given a rest until Jan- 

 uary, when they are brought into growth and, as soon 

 as the bark will slip, the budding is performed, using 

 buds that have been kept dormant. A " T" shaped cut 

 is made in the bark, generally as near the collar as possi- 

 ble, and the corners are lifted up so as to permit the 

 insertion of the bud. In removing the bud from the 

 cion, the cut is started about half an inch below the bud 

 and is continued upward so as to take off a thin shaving 

 of the wood until it is about half an inch above the bud, 

 where the strip is cut off. The lower edge of the bark is 

 inserted beneath the bark of the stock, and the bud is 

 pushed down as far as it will readily go. For many 

 plants it is fully as well, or better, to remove the shaving 

 of wood from the bud before placing it in the stock. If, 

 however, it cannot be done without injuring the bud, 

 the wood should not be removed. 



It should then be wrapped with raffia so as to press 

 the bark of the stock firmly down around the bud. As 

 a rule, two or three turns below and two above the bud 

 will be sufficient ; care should be taken in wrapping not 

 to cover the bud, which should be in sight between the 

 edges of the bark. A portion of the top of the stock 

 should now be cut off, to check the growth and promote 

 a union with the bud, and as soon as the bud has formed 

 leaves of its own, the remainder of the stock should be 

 cut away. While almost any form of knife can be used 

 for budding if it is sharp, the regular budding knives 

 have thin blades and rounded points. Unless it has at 

 the end of the handle a piece of ivory to be used in lift- 

 ing the bark of the stock, the point of the blade can 

 be arranged to serve for this purpose, by slightly 

 rounding it. 





