214 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



BucH quantities from France, does succeed so much better tLan those 

 grown in this country (as some claim for it), may not their superiority be 

 in some degree attributed to the mode of propagation practiced there. 



The French nurserymen say that it is the universal practice to remove 

 the wood from all buds of the pear that are put on quince, and it is be- 

 lieved by them to be the only way to make them long-lived and healthy 

 trees. 



It may not be best to remove the wood in budding all kinds of trees, 

 although it undoubtedly is with some. If the wood is taken out, branches 

 must be used from which the bark will readily peel from the wood, without 

 leaving the inside surface rough. 



Hold the branch from which you take the bud in your left hand ; with 

 the smaller end toward you, insert the knife-blade a half an inch below 

 the bud, cut rather deeper than you would if the wood were to be left in, 

 pass the knife above the bud some three-quarters of an inch ; then cut 

 across through the bark only, about half an inch above the bud (c) ; then 

 with your finger and thumb lift up the bark ; at the same time press it 

 gently forward, and you will take off the bark and bud {a) without in- 

 juring it in the least, leaving the piece of wood (b) adhering to the branch. 



This plan is much better than to pick it out with the point of a knife, 

 or slip it out with a goose quill, or several other plans laid down in our 

 books, and considered by some as orthodox. 



MODE OF OPERATION. 



The budding-knife most in use is one with an ivory handle, made flat 

 and thin for raising the bark. They can be found in any store where hor- 

 ticultural implements are sold. But we consider them the greatest piece 

 of old-fogyism ever palmed off upon an intelligent set of people, as those 

 engaged in horticulture are supposed to be. 



The very idea of using a knife from five to eight inches long, and being 

 obliged to reverse it every time you set a bud, is too much for Yankee go- 

 a-headitiveness to put up with. Some of the best nurserymen discarded 

 this clumsy ivory wedge long, ago, and others would if they could once see 

 a better knife in operation. 



This knife, here represented, is simply a small pocket-knife, with a thin 

 blade, round at the end. The cutting portion extends about one-third 

 around the end of the blade, and about two-thirds of its length, leaving 

 the lower part dull. 



In using it, take it in the right hand, letting the fore-finger clasp the 

 lower part of the blade. Make a horizontal incision in the stock first, and 

 from this an incision down the stock about an inch long ; lift up the edge 

 of the bark by passing the back of the blade to the horizontal incision 

 without removing it. Lift the bark on the other side in the same way. If 

 your blade is smooth, it will raise the bark without disturbing the albur- 

 num or half-formed wood. 



If the bark parts freely from the wood, it is not necessary to raise it 



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