188 



SUCCESSFUL FKUIT CULTURE 



knives (Figure 97) sold by dealers in hortioultural 

 supplies are preferable. 



The process of budding consists in first making 

 a cross cut, as shown in Figure 98, then turning the 

 knife and starting about three-quarters of an inch below, 

 making an upward cut to the cross cut, where by a quick 

 turn of the hand the bark on both sides of the cut is 

 raised, as shown in Figure 99. A bud stick is then taken, 

 and, placing the knife about half an inch below the 

 bud, a cut is made through the bark upward, taking a 

 little of the wood with the bud. The bud is then 

 held by the stalk of the leaf that has been left for 



Pig. 97— Budding Knives 



the "purpose, and the point inserted under the raised 

 bark and pressed down until it is well in place, as seen 

 in Figure 100. If the bark does not peel quite readily 

 enough the rounded point of the knife is pushed under 

 the raised points and run downward, raising it so that 

 the bud will be properly set, but buds will not be as 

 sure to grow as if the bark peels with the pressure of 

 the bud as it is forced down in place. After being 

 inserted the bud must be firmly and evenly tied with 

 some soft and flat tying material or soft string, as seen 

 in Figure 101. The material most in use is rafSa fiber, 

 so commonly employed for tying asparagus and other 

 vegetables. 



