36 



THE ORANGE; 



CONDITION OF THE STOCK. When the 

 bark slips readily upon the stock, as it 

 slipped on the willows in our whistle- 

 making days, you may be sure it is in 

 condition to be budded. Theoretically 

 stated, the tree is then full of sap and in 

 the active, growing condition requisite for 

 infusing life into the extraneous bud in- 

 serted in the bark. Experts may venture 

 to anticipate this condition a little and bud 

 trees when they are obliged to raise the 

 bark with a knife, but they do it at the 

 risk of losing their labor. A quick growth 

 of the tree immmediately after each bud- 

 ding is done will alone render the opera- 

 tion successful. Experienced budders 

 claim that a larger percentage of buds 

 grow of 'those inserted in the new of the 

 moon than in the old. 



AGE OF STOCKS. Trees planted iu nur- 

 sery in the spring are sometimes budded 

 the following spring. But the majority 

 of nurserymen do not bud their trees 

 until the end of the second year in nur- 

 sery. The stoeks then shoot the buds 

 more uniformly and vigorously than at 

 the Earlier age. Budding may be done 

 from this time forward until the tree is 

 fully grown, but the difficulty of starting 

 increases with age. Ordinarily there is no 

 reason for delaying the operation later 

 than the end of the second year in nursery. 



IMPLEMENTS REQUIRED. The outfit re- 

 quired for budding comprises a pair of 

 pruning shears of the ordinary pattern; a 

 budding knife, a whetstone and strap, a 

 brush and some tying twine. 



The budding knife has a prolongation 

 of the handle, being a bone spatula, like 

 the end of a paper cutter. This attach- 

 ment is of service in lifting the bark with- 

 out lacerating it after the incision has 

 been made. The whetstone, used with 

 either oil or water, should be line, and 

 small enough to carry in the pocket. For 

 puttingthe finishing edgeon the knife use 

 a razor-strop or a strop improvised from 

 a piece of leather fastened to a stick and 

 oiled. The pruning shears or pocket- 

 knife should be employed in the heavy 

 work, such as cutting branches for buds, 

 pruning, etc. The budding knife is then 

 used only for cutting out the buds and in- 

 cising the tree, and its keenness is not un- 

 duly impaired. It is best to bud the trees 



close to the ground, for the reason tha-t 

 the point of juncture of bud and stock be 

 comes less prominent and unsightly, and,, 

 in transplanting, may be coyered up en- 

 tirely. Any sort of brush that is con- 

 venient will serve for dusting off the 

 body of the tree, so that the knife shall 

 not come in contact with grit. 



The buds should be inserted with a view 

 to a voiding accidents in irrigating and cul- 

 tivating. If the rows run north and south 

 insert the bud on the south side of the 

 stock, so that it shall not grow out into 

 the open space and thus be subject to ac- 

 cident. The prevaling winds should also 

 be considered. As the tendency of the 

 sprout is to grow out from the stock, if the 

 winds can be brought into service to force 

 it back upon the stock and into an upright 

 position, so much the better. 



TWINE. A soft, loosely-twisted twine, 

 from ten to fourteen ply, and known as 

 "budding twine," is in universal use 

 among budders. The size is varied, ac- 

 cording to the size of stocks. A conven- 

 ient way of preparing the twine for use i* 

 to reel it upon a board the required length 

 for the pieces, and then cut it at both ends 

 of the board. Count the pieces, and when 

 done with them you will know how many 

 buds you have inserted. Sling the strings 

 in a loop of twine to your person, and you 

 have them ready to draw upon as required. 



CHOOSING BUDS. The best buds to in- 

 sert are those which appear large and 

 plump, as though just ready to start. 

 They are found upon the latest new 

 growth that has rounded and hardened. 

 The light green, new growth, known as 

 " three cornered," should be avoided, the 

 buds being immature and lacking in vital- 

 ity. Likewise buds on old limbs (?'. e., of 

 a former year's growth,) are not desirable, 

 as they are slow to start. Buds cut from 

 very old and hard wood have been known 

 to lie dormant four years before starting 

 to grow. Upon the section of limb which 

 you select all of the buds may not be de- 

 sirable, and you should use only the best, 

 rejecting the others. If thorny varieties 

 are used discard those with the largest 

 thorns. 



PREPARING THE BUDS. Having select- 

 ed the limbs from which you wish to take 

 your buds, cut them into lengths ofi six w 



