PROPAGATION. 



small part of the wood directly beneath the bud, Fig. 65. It 

 is not a common practice in this country to take the thin 

 shield of wood out of the butt, but it is sometimes done ad- 



ij 



! 



FIG. 6 4 . FIG. 6 5 . FIG. 66. FIG. 68. 



Successive Stages of Budding. 



FIG. 69. 



vantageously when this portion of wood is too old or hard to 

 fix the stock readily. The edges of the bark, at the incision 

 in the stock, are then raised a little, Fig. 66, and the bud held 



as shown in Fig. 67, pushed down- 

 ward under the bark, Fig. 68 and 

 Fig. 70. A bandage of raffia bass, 

 or other substance, is wrapped 

 round, covering all parts but the 

 bud. The pressure should be just 

 sufficient to keep the inserted por- 

 tion closely to the stock, but not 

 such as to bruise or crush the bark, 

 Fig. 69 and Fig. 71. 



The shoots containing the buds 

 should be cut when so mature as to 

 be rather firm and hard in texture ; 

 they are usually in the best condi- 

 tion after the terminal bud has 

 formed. To prevent withering, the 

 leaves must be immediately cut off, 

 as they withdraw and exhale rapidly 

 the moisture from the shoot ; about one-quarter of an inch of 

 the footstalks of the leaves should remain, to serve as handles 



FIG. 67. One Manner of 

 Holding Bud. 



