BUDDING. 



21 



render them soft and pliable, (or in the absence of 

 these some soft woollen yarn,) must also be at hand 

 for tying the buds. 



Shield or T budding is the most approved mode 

 in all countries. A new variety of this method now 

 generally practised in this country we shall describe 

 first as being the simplest and best mode for fruit 

 trees. 



American shield, budding. Having your stick of 

 buds ready, choose a smooth portion of the stock. 

 When the latter is small, let it be near the ground, 

 and, if equally convenient, select also the north side 

 of the stock, as less exposed to the sun. Make an 

 upright incision in the bark from an inch to an inch 

 and a half long, and at the top of this make a cross 

 cut, so that the whole shall form a T. From the 

 stick of buds, your knife being very sharp, cut a 

 thin, smooth slice of wood and bark containing a 

 bud, Fig. 9, a. With the ivory haft of your bud- 

 ding knife, now raise the bark on each side of the 

 incision just wide enough to admit easily the pre- 

 pared bud. Taking hold of the footstalk of the leaf, 

 insert the bud under the bark, pushing it gently pj g> 8 . A 

 down to the bottom of the incision. If the upper stick of buds. 

 portion of the bud projects above the horizontal 

 part of the T, cut it smoothly off now, so that it 

 may completely fit, 6. A bandage of the soft 

 matting is now tied pretty firmly over the whole 

 wound, Fig. 10, commencing at the bottom, and 

 leaving the bud, and the footstalk of the leaf 

 only exposed to the light and air. 



Common shield budding, Fig. 11, practised in 

 all gardens in Europe, differs from the foregoing 

 only in one respect the removal of the slice of 

 wood contained in the bud. This is taken out 

 with the point of the knife, holding the bud or 

 Fig. 9. American shield by the leaf stalk, with one hand, inserting 

 shield budding, the knife under the wood at the lower extremity, 

 and then raising and drawing out the wood by 

 bending it upwards and downwards, with a slight 

 jerk, until it is loosened from the bark ; always 

 taking care that a small portion of the wood re- 

 mains behind to fill up the hollow at the base or 

 heart of the bud. The bud thus prepared is in- 

 serted precisely as before described. 



The American variety of shield budding is 

 found greatly preferable to the European mode, 

 at least for this climate. Many sorts of fruit trees, 

 especially Plums and Cherries, nearly mature Fig. 10. 



a 



