116 AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 



sufficiently, and is easily loosened when necessary to re- 

 lieve the tension caused by the continued growth, (fig. 22). 



All ties should be loosened in the course of a couple of 

 weeks, if the stocks be growing freely ; otherwise they 

 will injure the tree by strangulation. Sometimes it will 

 be necessary to replace the bandage to prevent the effects 

 of desiccation upon the bud, this is particularly the case 

 with the cherry, and other fruits, that are budded early ; 

 but the tie is often left on the stock all winter, as a sort 

 of protection to the bud. When loosening the ties, the 

 buds are inspected and their condition ascertained ; if they 

 have failed, they may be replaced, if the stocks continue 

 in a suitable. condition. It is very easy to tell the suc- 

 cess of the budding ; the portion of the petiole left upon 

 the shield is a very good index ; if the bud has withered, 

 this will also be brown and will adhere firmly to the shield ; 

 but, on the contrary, the bud and its shield having formed 

 a union with the stock, the leaf-stalk remains plump, but 

 changes color. Like a leaf-stem in the autumn, it assumes 

 the tint of ripeness, and it will separate with a touch, and 

 soon falls off. 



The common method of removing the ties is to cut 

 them with a single stroke of a sharp knife, when the band- 

 age is left to fall off. Mr. Knight recommended two dis- 

 tinct ligatures, and left the one above the bud for a longer 

 time uncut. When the buds have not been very fully 

 developed, and when the stocks are very thrifty, it some- 

 times happens that the excessive growth about the in- 

 cisions made for the insertion of the bud, completely 

 cover up this little germ of a future tree, which is then 

 said to be " drowned." Judicious pinching and shortening 



