PKOPAGATIOK BY BtTDDING. 



193 



branch or Bhoot containing the buds in the left hand, and 

 with the smaller end towards you ; insert the knife blade 

 about one inch below the bud ; cut a little deeper than 

 you would if the wood was to be left in ; pass the knife 

 above the bud about one inch, 

 then cut across through the 

 bark only, about half an inch 

 above the bud (see figure 75), 

 ' then with the finger and 

 thumb lift up the bark, at 

 the same time press gently 

 forward, and the bark and bud 

 (a) will come ofE, leaving the 

 wood beneath (5) adhering to 

 the branch. Examine the 

 bud after it has been removed 

 to ascertain whether the chit, 

 as it is called, has been broken 

 off even with the inside sur- 

 face of the bark or within the 

 bud, leaving a cavity ; if the 

 latter, there is danger that 

 while the bark around the 

 bud will unite with the stock, 

 the bud itself may fail to grow 

 unless the flow of assimilated 

 sap on the stock is sufficiently 

 abundant to fill the cavity 

 with cambium soon after the 

 bud is inserted. But the par- 

 ticular manner in which buds 

 are taken from the twig, or 

 inserted in the stock, will make but little difference, pro- 

 vided the buds are fresh and the operation is carefully 

 performed at the proper time. One operator will insist 

 that the best way to make the horizontal incision in the 



Fig. 75. — EEMOVING THE BOTJ. 



