124 THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



the work of the budder, as in the quince, are to be cut off at 

 the same time. 



The bud is inserted an inch or two above the ground, or as 

 low down as the budder can work. The advantage of setting 

 the bud low is to bring the resulting crook or union 

 where it will not be seen, and to enable it to be set 

 below the surface of the ground when the tree is 

 transplanted, if the planter so desires. It is a com- 

 mon and good practice, also, to place the bud on the 

 north side of the stock to shield it from the sun. 



The buds are taken from strong and well-hardened 

 shoots of the season's growth and of the variety it is 

 desired to propagate. Usually the whole of the 

 present growth is cut, the leaves are removed but 

 a part of the petiole or stalk of each leaf is left (as 

 in Figs. 130 and 133) to serve as a handle to the bud. 

 This trimmed shoot is then called a "stick." A 

 stick may bear two dozen good buds when the growth 

 has been strong, but only ten or twelve buds are 

 commonly obtained. The upper buds, which are 

 usually not fully grown and are borne on soft wood, 

 are generally discarded. 



The buds are cut with a thin-bladed sharp knife. 

 Various styles of budding-knives are in use (Fig. 134), 

 FIG 133 anc ^ ^ ne bunder usually has preference for a particular 

 Stick of pattern. The essentials of a good budding-knife are 

 buds (x |). these : the very best steel, a thin blade with a curved 

 or half-circular cutting end, which is light, and handy in shape. 

 The curved end of the blade is used for making the incisions 

 in the stock. The handle of the budding-knife often runs into 

 a thin bone scalpel at the end, and this part is designed for 

 the lifting or loosening of the bark on the stock. The opera- 

 tion of raising the bark by means of this scalpel is often 

 called "boning." Some budders, however, raise the bark 



