PROPAGATION BY BUDDING AND GRAFTING 121 



2. BUDDING 



Budding is the operation of applying a single bud, bearing 

 little or no wood, to the surface of the living wood of the 

 stock. The bud is applied directly to the cambium layer of 

 the stock. It is commonly inserted under the bark of 

 the stock, but in flute-budding a piece of bark is entirely re- 

 moved, and the bud is used to cover the wound. There is 

 every gradation between budding and grafting proper. 



There is no general rule to determine what species of plants 

 should be budded and what ones cion-grafted. In fact, the 

 same species is often multiplied both ways. Plants with thin 

 bark and an abundance of sap are likely to do best when grafted ; 

 or if they are budded, the buds should be inserted at a season 

 when the sap is least abundant, to prevent the " strangulation " 

 or "throwing out" of the bud. In such species, the bark is 

 not strong enough to hold the bud firmly until it unites; and 

 solid union does not take, place until the flow of sap lessens. 

 Budding is largely employed on young fruit-trees, and with 

 the stone-fruits in nursery practice. It is also used in roses 

 and many ornamental trees. Grafting is in common use for 

 working-over the tops of large trees, and it is also employed 

 extensively in certain kinds of nursery practice as the root- 

 grafting of apples and the veneer-grafting of ornamental 

 stock. 



Budding is commonly performed in the growing season, 

 usually in summer or early fall, because mature buds can be 

 procured at that time, and young stocks are then large enough 

 to be worked readily. But budding can be done in early spring, 

 as soon as the bark loosens; in this case perfectly dormant 

 buds must have been taken in winter and kept in a cellar, 

 ice-house or other cool place. 



Budding is always best accomplished when the bark slips or 

 peels easily. It can be undertaken when the bark is tight, but 



