ORANGE CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. l8l 



up. The novice usually cuts too deep in cutting a bud, 

 thereby taking too much wood. Having cut the bud, place 

 the lower end of it in the opening made by the lateral cut 

 and press it down gently till the upper end of the bud will 

 be far enough below the lateral cut to allow the bark to be tied 

 well over it. One-eighth of an inch below is ample. The lon- 

 gitudinal cut should not be so long as the bud; then the lower 

 end of the bud will be well under the bark at the lower end of 

 the cut. Be careful not to push the bud to one side of the lon- 

 gitudinal cut ; if you do, move it before tying so the cut will be 

 along the center of the bud. Pressing the lower end of the bud 

 under the bark at the lower end of the cut is the usual method 

 in budding any kind of a tree ; but it is not so necessary with 

 those of soft wood the peach, for example as with the citrus 

 family. Wrap the buds with proper material. Make two turns 

 above the inserted buds and three below ; draw the twine firmly 

 while winding, in order to close the bark of the stock as nearly 

 as possible firmly around the bud and to exclude the air com- 

 pletely. In California we use for tying the buds soft-twisted 

 cotton twine of ten or twelve ply. It is strong and can be drawn 

 tightly enough to hold the buds firmly. If the stock be high 

 enough to admit of it, the buds should he inserted about three 

 feet from the ground, that the stock may be saved to form the 

 body of the tree. A skillful budder will insert and tie from five 

 hundred to one thousand as an ordinary day's work. Some 

 experts can bud and tie more than a thousand in a day. As a, 

 rule, the more rapid and expert the budder is, the more suc- 

 cessful he is in results. 



The trees must be watched closely after budding, lest the 

 twine, by the growth of the tree, cut through the bark and injure 

 or spoil the tree. The string should usually be loosened not 

 taken off at the expiration of two or three weeks. This is 

 properly and most expeditiously done by cutting through the 

 coils of the string on the, side opposite the bud. The string will 

 gradually become loose, as the stock increases in size, and 

 eventually drop off, leaving the bud free. About this time, or 

 as soon as the trees begin to send out a new growth, cut off the 

 stock from six inches to a foot above the bud, the length of the 



