VIII PROPAGATION 141 



alone. It is best for an amateur to learn of an 

 amateur, provided of course the teacher be ex- 

 perienced and trustworthy; for, without throwing 

 any discredit upon the wonderfully clever and rapid 

 performances of professional budders, it is plain 

 that an amateur works upon rather different lines. 

 He has not such a wealth of " stuff" to fall back on, 

 either of buds or stocks, and having more time can 

 afford to be more careful and particular about every 

 stage of the operation. 



No tools are required beyond a budding knife. It 

 is hardly necessary to say that this should be as sharp 

 as possible, but a hone is not so often required as in 

 pruning, since no hard substances will require to be 

 cut. The curve at the end of the bone handle for 

 turning up the bark of the stock is made of different 

 shapes, and a young operator will soon find which 

 is most convenient for him. A bundle of ties of 

 Bafiia, split where too thick, and shortened to ten 

 inches or a foot each (better too long than too short), 

 should be fastened to the waist so that one tie can 

 be slipped out easily as required. 



The buds chosen should be half-ripe, and plump 

 but not grown out. Experience will soon teach the 

 proper condition : but, as a general rule, at the end 

 of July and beginning of August, buds in the proper 

 condition will be found on the shoot from which a 

 bloom is then cut ; before that time the shoot must 

 mature more or less after the flower is cut before the 

 buds are ready : after it the buds will be ready on 

 the shoot before it has bloomed, and in September 

 only the latest shoots which are still growing will 

 be of use. Those who grow for exhibition will 

 generally have a difficulty in finding early buds ; the 



