CALIFORNIA OLIVE CULTURE GRAFTING AND BUDDING. 47 



incisions are made with the grafting knife above and under 

 the bud to be removed, one from one half to three fourths of an 

 inch above the bud, the other about the same below. The 

 knife blade is inserted as far as the sap wood (alburnum), and 

 the shield extracted with a ligneous fragment, in which is the 

 basis of the bud. The alburnum adhering to the extremities 

 of the shield may be skillfully removed if the stocks are not 

 much in sap. The shield can also be extracted by making 

 three incisions in the bark of the branch in the form of a tri- 

 angle; that is, one transversely over the bud and two in the form 

 of a Vj starting from and terminating under it in an acute angle. 



Before detaching the shield, two incisions in the form of a J 

 are made in the bark of the stock, dilating the borders of the 

 wound with the grafting knife ; then, holding it by the pedicel, 

 the shield is detached and with the aid of the knife inserted 

 through the slits, pressing it quickly with the fingers at the 

 same time, so that it will fit exactly the alburnum of the stock 

 and be covered with its bark, the bud excepted. This being 

 done the ligature is made from above downward, in order to 

 prevent the displacing of the shield. 



There are cases when the sap of the stock is abundant and 

 injures the graft. This may be prevented by making the 

 incisions in the stock in the form of J_ instead of J. The 

 shield is cut square at the lower end and pointed at the top, 

 leaving the bud, however, in its nat- 

 ural position. The shield having 

 been inserted through the transverse 

 cut of the incision, that is to say 

 from below upward, the ligature is 

 made from the lower part of the 

 wound upward, in order that the 

 shield may not be displaced from its 

 position. 



Twig Bud. This is one of the 

 simplest methods employed on the 



J Twig bud insert- The same, tied 



olive, but requires more care and e d in stock- reduced, 

 skill. It has an advantage over all redu ced. 

 other methods, because the buds never fail to start after they 

 take hold, and again, there are no blind buds, many of which 

 never start and which are greatly encountered in all other 



