PROPAGATION OF VARIETIES. 



25 



foot-stalks to remain for conveniently inserting the buds. Some strands 

 of bass matting, about twelve or fourteen inches long, and from a quarter 

 to half an inch in width, moistened in water to 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 the best mode for fruit-trees. 

 American shield-budding. Having your stick of buds readv, 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 con- 

 taining a bud, Fig. 13, a. With the rounded end of your 

 budding-knife, now raise the bark on each side of the 

 incision just wide enough to admit easily the prepared 

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

 the bud under the bark, pushing it gently down to the 

 bottom of the incision. If the upper portion of the 

 bud projects above the horizontal part of the T, cut 

 it smoothly off, so that it may completely fit b. A 

 bandage of the soft matting is now tied over the whole 

 wound, Fig. 14, commencing at the bottom, and tying 

 most firmly above, leaving the bud and the footstalk 

 of the leaf only exposed to the light air. 



Common shield-budding, Fig. 15, 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 shield 

 by the leaf-stalk with one hand, inserting 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 remains 

 behind to fill up the hollow at 

 the base or heart of the bud. 

 The bud thus prepared is in- 

 serted precisely as before de- 

 scribed. 



The American variety of 

 shield-budding is found greatly 

 preferable to the European 

 mode, at least for this climate. 

 Many sorts of fruit-trees, es- 

 pecially Plums and Cherries, nearly mature 



their growth, and require to be budded in the hottest part of our 

 summer. In the old method, the bud having only a shield of bark with 

 but a particle of wood in the heart of the bud, is much more liable to 



a 



American shield- 

 budding. 



