98 



GRAFTAGE. 



Stock. The operation of raising the bark by means of this 

 scalpel is often called "boning." Some budders, how- 

 ever, raise the bark with the blade. A good form of blade, 

 but one seldom made, has a rounded end, the upper side 



88. Budding-knife with stationary blade {^W)- 



of the curve being ground simply to a thin edge. This 

 blade may be used both for cutting the bark and loosening 

 it, thus overcoming the necessity of reversing the knife 

 every time a bud is set. If this form of blade were com- 

 rrionly known it would undoubtedly soon come into favor. 

 The blade of a common budding-knife can be ground to 

 this shape. In the large fruit-tree nurseries of New York 

 state, the knife shown in Fig. 88 is in common use. This 

 is a cheap knife (costing fifteen cents or less by the dozen), 

 with a stationary blade. When using this knife, the oper- 

 ator loosens the bark with the 

 rounded edge of the blade. 

 The bud is usually cut 

 about an inch long. Most 

 budders cut from below up- 

 wards (as seen in the in- 

 verted stick in Fig. 87, and 

 in Fig. 89), but some prefer 

 ^^^^^ to make a downward inci- 



W^^^B^^ sion. It does not matter just 



how the bud is cut, if the 

 surfaces are smooth and 

 even, and the bud is not too 

 thick. Some propagators cut the buds as they go, while 

 others prefer to cut a whole stick before setting any, 

 letting each bud hang by a bit of bark at the top, and 

 which is cut off squarely when wanted, as is shown in 

 Fig. 87. On a stick a fourth or three-eighths inch through 



dy. Cutting the bud. 



