WALNUT 



2005 



It is also possible to use buds from 

 scion wood cut during the winter, or 

 very early spring, when it is in a per- 

 fectly dormant condition. If such scions 

 are placed In moist sand for a couple 

 of weeks before the budding is done 

 the buds may be removed quite easily. 

 Although the labor is somewhat in- 

 creased in removing the buds from the 

 stick, yet there are more large, plump 

 buds available than if taken later in the 

 season, when many of the desirable buds 

 have broken into shoots. 



Making the Bud 



(1) The Hinge Bud: About one inch 

 above the surface of the soil make a trans- 

 verse incision about half an inch long, 

 and a similar one about three-fourths of 

 an inch above this. Connect the two 

 with a longitudinal incision. This forms 

 the completed "I" cut on the stock. It 

 is very desirable to use extra care in 

 making these cuts. The ideal condition 

 is to merely penetrate the bark just to 

 the wood but not cut into it. The bud, 

 which is rectangular and of exactly the 

 same length as the distance between the 

 two transverse cuts on the stock, is re- 

 moved from the bud stick by first mak- 

 ing two transverse cuts of the proper 

 distance apart to give the correct length 

 to the bud, and then connecting these by 

 two longitudinal cuts about half an inch 

 apart. The bud proper should be ap- 

 proximately in the center of this piece. 

 The bud is then easily removed by gently 

 inserting the back of the knife blade un- 

 der one corner of the piece of bark, and 

 prying up, when it will be found that 

 it will readily part from the bud stick. 

 No wood should be removed with the 

 bud, and care should be taken when the 

 bud proper is extra large to avoid pulling 

 the soft wood or core out of it. It may 

 be necessary in such a case to first 

 loosen the bark containing the bud on 

 one side up to the bud proper, then 

 carefully cut this soft core with a knife, 

 and the remainder of the bud piece may 

 be easily removed. As soon as the bud 

 is removed from the bud stick it should 

 be immediately inserted into the stock. 



This is readily accomplished by first care- 

 fully turning back the upper corners of 

 the "I" shaped cut, slightly prying them 

 away from the wood, then inserting the 

 base of the bud into the opening, push- 

 ing it down until the top and bottom of 

 the bud are flush with the transverse cuts 

 on the stock, and the bud lies smoothly 

 and snugly against the latter. By mak- 

 ing the bud force its own passage under 

 the bark of the stock after this manner 

 there is much less exposure to the air 

 than if the sides of the cut are first 

 turned back and the bud then laid in 

 place. The bud is now ready for tying 

 and waxing as explained below. 



(2) The Flute Bud: In this method 

 of budding it is best to first shape the 

 bud and then cut the stock to fit it. The 

 bud, which is rectangular, about three- 

 fourths of an inch long, and five-eighths 

 of an inch wide, is made and removed 

 from the bud stick exactly as in the pre- 

 ceding. A similar piece of bark is re- 

 moved from the stock and the scion bud is 

 then put in its place, taking care to see 

 that the sides of the bud fit up snugly 

 all around. 



The T and inverted T buds proved un- 

 satisfactory in our work. 



In either case after the bud is well in 

 place on the stock the two are wrapped 

 snugly with raffia. Special care should 

 be exercised in the wrapping to see that 

 the bud is pressed firmly against the wood 

 of the stock, especially at the center 

 where the bud proper is located. Much of 

 the success of the operation depends on 

 proper wrapping. In many cases there 

 is a prominent elevation where the leaf 

 stalk has become detached, and unless 

 care is used in pressing this down firm- 

 ly in the tying it will draw away and no 

 union will result. When properly tied 

 wrap the entire bud with waxed cloth to 

 keep out moisture and air, and wax all 

 over with some good wax. The foUowmg 

 is recommended: 



(drafting Wax 



Resin, five pounds; finely pulverized 

 wood charcoal, one-half pound; beeswax, 

 one pound; raw linseed oil, one gill. 



