PROPAGATION. 107 



cise care in the preservation of the scions, to keep them 

 back by the application of cold, until the time of their in- 

 sertion. 



The condition of the bud is also important to the suc- 

 cess of the operation. The tree from which we cut the 

 scions should be in a growing state, though this is not so 

 essential as in the case of the stock, as has been seen in 

 spring budding still, a degree of activity is desirable. 

 The young shoot should have perfected its growth to 

 such an extent as to have deposited its woody fibre, it 

 should not be too succulent ; but the essential condition 

 is, that it should have its buds well developed. These, as 

 every one knows, are formed in the axils of the leaves, 

 and, to insure success, they should be plump and well 

 grown. In those fruits which blossom on wood shoots of 

 the previous year's growth, as the peach and apricot, the 

 blossom buds should be avoided ; they are easily recog- 

 nized by their greater size and plumpness. In cutting 

 scions, or bud-sticks, the most vigorous shoots should be 

 avoided, they are too soft and pithy; the close jointed 

 firm shoots, of medium size, are much to be preferred, as 

 they have well developed buds, which appear to have 

 more vitality. Such scions are found at the ends of the 

 lateral branches. These need immediate attention, or 

 they will be lost. The evaporation of their juices through 

 the leaves would soon cause them to wither and wilt, and 

 become useless. These appendages are therefore immedi- 

 ately removed by cutting the petioles from a quarter to 

 half an inch from the scion ; a portion of the stem is thus 

 left as a convenient handle when inserting the shield, and 

 this also serves afterward as an index to the condition of 

 the bud. So soon as trimmed of their leaves, the sciona 



