2 3 2 



GRAFTING 



however, or if the wood is hard and dry, it is better to 

 remove it. 



Inserting Buds in Stock. The stock is prepared by 

 removing all the leaves and branches from the area to 

 be budded. Peaches, plums, and other nursery trees 

 are generally budded as near to the ground as the 

 operator can work, or not more than two or three inches 

 above the surface of the soil. The bud is usually set on 



the north side of the stock 

 that it may be shaded 

 from the sun and kept 

 cool and moist. A bud- 

 ding knife having a thin 

 blade curved at the end 

 (Fig. 125) is used to make 

 the incision, which con- 

 sists of a vertical slit 

 about an inch long and 

 just deep enough to cut 

 through the inner bark, 

 and also a horizontal cut 

 made across the top of 

 this vertical cut, forming the capital letter " T." (Fig. 

 126 a.) The bark is then loosened to receive the bud. 

 (Fig. 126 b.} The bud is inserted and pushed in under 

 the bark as far as possible with the ringer ; then the back 

 of the knife blade is thrust against the petiole of the 

 leaf, and the bud is pushed into its final position. (Fig. 

 126 c.) If a small portion of the bark is still above the 

 incision, it may be cut away without harm. The bud is 

 then tied with raffia, soft string, or tape, by winding it 

 around once or twice both below and above the bud. 



Fig. 125. Cutting a bud with a budding knife. 



