444 THE NURSERY. [July. 



When the stocks are from about half an inch, or a little less, to 

 an inch or more in diameter in the places where the buds are to be 

 inserted, they are then of a proper size for working. 



In order to perform the operation you must be provided with a 

 neat sharp budding-knife, having a tiat thin haft to open the bark 

 of the stock for the admission of the bud, and, likewise, with a 

 quantity of new bass-strings, which is certainly the best of all 

 bandages, or if such cannot be obtained, some soft woollen yarn to 

 tie round it when inserted. 



Observe that the head of the stock is not to be cut off' as in graft- 

 ing; that the bud is to be inserted into the side, and the head 

 suffered to remain until the spring following, when it is to be cut 

 off' above the bud, as directed in page 258. 



Methods of Budding or Inoculating. 



1. Having your cuttings, knife, and bandages ready, fix upon a 

 smooth part on the side of the stock at whatever height you intend 

 to bud it; with your knife make a horizontal cut across the bark of 

 the stock quite through to the firm wood; then from the middle of 

 this cut make a slit downwards, perpendicularly, about an inch and 

 a half long, going also quite through to the wood, so that the two 

 cuts together may be in the form of the letter T: then with the 

 point of your knife raise the bark a little at the angles formed by 

 the two cuts, in order to make room for the flat part of the haft to 

 enter and raise the bark. 



This done, proceed with ail expedition to take off" a bud, having 

 immediately previous to the commencement cut oft* all the leaves, 

 leaving about an inch of the footstalk to each bud, and holding the 

 cutting in one hand, with the thickest end outward; then enter the 

 knife about half an inch, or rather more, below a bud, cutting nearly 

 half way into the wood of the shoot, continuing it with one clean 

 slanting cut about as much more above the bud, so deep as to take 

 off' part of the wood along with it, the whole from an inch and a 

 quarter to an inch and a half long; directly take out the woody part 

 remaining in the bud, which is easily done by placing the point of 

 the knife between the bark and wood, at either end, but the upper 

 is the more preferable, and with the assistance of the thumb, pull 

 off* the wood from the bark, which ought, if in good condition, to 

 part freely; then quickly examine the inside, to see if the root of 

 the bud be left, and if there appears a small hole, the rudiment of 

 the young tree is gone with the wood, the bud is rendered useless, 

 and another must be prepared; but if there be no hole, the bud is 

 good; then place the footstalk or back part of the bud between your 

 lips, and with the flat haft of the knife, separate the bark from the 

 stock on each side of the perpendicular cut, clear to the wood, for 

 the admission of the bud, which, directly slip down close between 

 the wood and bark, till the whole is inserted to within the eighth el 

 an inch; let this part be cut through into the first transverse inci- 

 sion made in the stalk, and the bud will fall neatly into its place; 



