7 6 



GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



B 



leaf-bud, which contains the germ of a new plant. To be successful in 

 budding this growth must be " ripe," that is, it must have flowered, or 

 be on the point of so doing. The growths first produced are the best 

 to use for budding. They should be firm, and the spines or thorns be 

 easily rubbed off. If the latter are soft and juicy the wood is not ripe 

 enough, but it is more important to see that the stocks " run well," 

 that is, there should be an abundance of sap in the plant. In a very 

 dry summer it is sometimes necessary to water the stocks a day or two 



before budding. Always bud 

 the standard briars first, for 

 they cease to grow long be- 

 fore the dwarf stocks. The 

 latter should be budded as 

 close to the root as possible, 

 especially if the plants are 

 wanted for potting up. 

 Standard briars should be 

 budded in July, and the 

 dwarf stocks during August. 

 Insert the bud on dwarf 

 stocks on the west side if 

 practicable. During the oper- 

 ation of budding keep the 

 shoots in a jar of water, 

 previously cutting off the 

 leaves but retaining about 

 half an inch of the leaf -stalk 

 so as to obtain a firm hold 

 of the bud. Insert the knife 

 in the shoot about one inch 

 above the bud as at B, 

 Fig. 8. 



Cut thinly under the bark 

 and when past the bud rend 

 it off. It will then appear 

 as C and D, Fig. 8. Hold 

 the bud between the thumb 



and finger of the left hand, and with the point of the knife lift up the 

 small slice of wood attached to the bark and jerk it out. As a rule it 

 comes out easily enough, leaving the germ of the bud intact. If this germ 

 is missing, and there is a hole about the size of a pin head under the 

 bud, it is waste of time to insert the bud. Some varieties behave in this 

 way and must be cut rather thinner than others. Before cutting off 

 the bud wipe the stock clean and make a cut upwards, and then cross- 

 wise in shape like the letter T (see Fig. 9, A B). Do not cut so deeply 

 as to injure the wood of the stock. Raise only the bark gently on each 

 side of the long cut by inserting the bone of the budding knife. Then 

 insert the bud at C and gently push it down to the end of the cut D. 



FIG. 8. Budding Roses. 



