310 



D'ALBUKT'S PEAOTICE— PUSHING EYES. 



they only cut ttem back when the inserted buds are in a good state of 

 vegetation. 



There are fruit-trees which cannot be budded thus until the leaves 

 make their appearance, such as the Mulberry, "Walnut, Chestnut, &c. ; 

 and in order to succeed well with these it is necessary to take buds 

 from two-year-old wood, in which case the 

 " _ " branches had better be cut off in March 



and preserved carefully in earth. When 

 the vegetation of the stocks for the reception 

 of these buds shall have become decidedly 

 active, the branches should be washed 

 without much rubbing, wrapped in a damp 

 cloth, and placed from thirty to forty hours 

 in a moist atmosphere of between 60° and 

 70° F., in order to expand their latent sap, 

 so as to cause their bark to run. The buds 

 are removed as follows: — With the blade 

 of the grafting knife we cut the shoot 

 obliquely (see Fig. XLV., c) ; then we 

 place the knife about three-quarters of an 

 inch above the eye for the purpose of raising 

 it with a large sUoe of bark ; to do this the 

 more readily we make the slope towards the 

 eye, cutting through the bark and a small 

 portion of alburnum. The knife should 

 preserve the same slope while passing under 

 the eye, and continue its course tUl it meets 

 the first cut. This eye should be examined 

 by taking it lightly between the fingers of the left hand and with one 

 of these gently bending down the portion of bark placed above the 

 growing point ; then, by means of the thumb of the right hand and the 

 blade of the grafting knife, placed in the same hand, we can lay hold 

 of the alburnum and remove it ; but the removal should not extend 

 beyond the growing point, which ought to be preserved entire. If from 

 want of practice the patch of alburnum is too thick (and this we shall 

 always know to be the case when it brings the eye along with it), we 

 must thin the whole in order that it may separate without tearing out 

 that essential part. Then proceed as foUows : With the grafting knife 

 make a horizontal incision, which shall embrace almost one-third of the 

 stock, cutting through the bark as far as the alburnum; another incision 

 to the same depth should be made downwards and perpendicular to the 

 first, the two representing the letter T ; then slightly raise, the bark 

 at the circular cut, taking care that in doing so the handle of the 

 budding knife does not bruise the cambium. 

 Thus prepared, as seen at Fig. XLV. d, the bud should be pushed 



rig. XLV. 



-Buds with piislling 

 eyes. 



