VIII PROPAUATION 145 



The point of the budding knife carefully inserted 

 at one end is usually the means by which the wood 

 is got out, though I knew an old gardener who said 

 he "kept a thoomb-nail o'purpose," a gruesome 

 object which he exhibited with pride. The beginner 

 had better try several ways till he finds what suits 

 him best, remembering that the one object is to get 

 the wood out clean, and yet leave the inside of the 

 bud. Which end of the wood should be raised first 

 will naturally depend upon whether it is to be lifted, 

 pulled, or pushed out. 



If the wood comes out all right, leaving the base 

 of the bud level with the inside of the bark, there 

 will probably be no trouble with any buds on that 

 shoot. And vice versa, for it is the condition of the 

 shoot which is at fault. If you find that you have 

 pulled the interior of a bud out, take extra pains 

 with the other buds on that shoot if a better one is 

 not to be found ; in obstinate cases, the knife itself 

 may be passed down under the bark, and help the 

 desired object. But care must be taken that the 

 inner surface of the bark of the bud be not bruised 

 or cut and that no grit or foreign substance what- 

 ever gets in. 



If the wood will not come out clean but adheres 

 in places, the bud is over-ripe and should not be 

 used. If it be very small or not ripe enough, some 

 advise that it be inserted without removing the 

 wood. In such a case the bud will sometimes grow, 

 but this is grafting, not budding, and the union will 

 not be so good or lasting. 



The bud thus prepared mast without any delay be 

 slipped under the cross cut and down the longitudinal 

 one, so that it just touches and fits to the cross cut. 



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