71 



In the actual operation of budding the operator first pre- 

 pares his bud sticks. These are the terminal shoots of the 

 current season's growth. The leaves are cut off, leaving about 

 one-half inch of the petiole or leaf stem. This will serve as a 

 sort of handle and will facilitate the setting of the buds. The 

 bud sticks must be kept from drying out by wrapping in 

 paper, moist burlap or other material. The buds, as needed, 

 are cut from the bud stick as follows: With a sharp knife 

 begin the cut about a half inch below the bud and, by cutting 

 into the wood a little, force the knife underneath the bud, 

 cutting up to the surface about a half inch above the bud 

 (see Fig. 5, a and b). The bud with its small piece of attached 

 wood is ready to insert into the stock. 



The stock is prepared by making a longitudinal cut through 

 the bark for a distance of 1^ inches; at the top of this cut a 

 transverse cut is made forming a letter T. If the transverse 

 cut is made with a rolling motion of the knife, the flaps of 

 bark at the angle of the two cuts will be loosened from the 

 wood; otherwise, these flaps must be lifted with point of 

 knife or with the ivory heel of a regular budding knife. The 

 bud is next grasped by the leaf stem as a handle and gently 

 pushed into' place until its cut surface lies in contact with 

 the peeled body of the stock with the bud pointing upward. 

 A string of some sort, raffia or No. 20 knitting cotton is then 

 drawn tightly around the stock both above and below the bud 

 in order to hold it firmly against the stock and to prevent the 

 wound drying out (see Fig. 5, c and d) . As soon as the bud has 

 united with the stock, which should be within a week or ten 

 days, the string is cut and the bud receives no further attention 

 until next spring, at which time the stock is cut off an inch 

 or two above the bud in order to force the bud into growth. 

 No buds on the stock beyond the one set should be permitted 

 to grow. 



In propagating trees the seedlings in the nursery row are 

 budded, the buds being set as near the ground as convenient. 

 The following spring the tops of the seedlings are cut off just 

 above the buds. 



In top working trees by budding the buds should be set in 

 wood not more than two or three years old. Hence this 

 method for top working old trees is not as valuable as grafting. 



