70 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



This is an operation requiring much exactness, and the 

 point where a beginner will most likely fail, is in the 

 proper removal of the bud. As soon as the bud begins to 

 grow, the ligature may be loosened, and should be entirely 

 removed when it begins to cut into the bark. Two or 

 three days after budding, the stock may be shortened to 

 within ten or twelve inches of the bud, and all shoots must 

 be rubbed off as they appear, except the inserted bud. 

 When this has grown three or four inches, the stock is cut 

 off again near the budde.d shoot. In September budding, 

 this is delayed until spring. Budding is the easiest method 

 of propagating apples, pears, and most other fruit-trees. 

 In the case of peaches it is almost universally applied, and 

 also with those roses that will not succeed readily from 

 cuttings. Budding and grafting can be performed only 

 upon plants of the same, or nearly related species. Thus 

 a peach can be budded on a plum, as they are both stone 

 fruits, and belong to the same natural group of plants, but 

 no art could make the peach flourish on the apple or pear 

 as a stock. 



Grafting. — This differs from budding in its being the 

 transfer of a shoot, with several buds upon it, from one 

 tree to another, instead of merely employing a single bud. 

 It is performed by bringing portions of two growing shoots 

 together, so that the liber or soft wood of the two may 

 unite together. The shoot to be transferred is called the 

 scion, and the tree which is to receive it is called the 

 stock. The stocks are of all ages and sizes, but they must 

 be sound and healthy. The scions employed are gen- 

 erally shoots of the preceding year's growth, which may 

 be cut at any time after the leaves fall, and may be buried 

 in a dry soil, with the upper extremities slightly project- 

 ing on the north of a wall. Those of healthy, well-ripe aed. 



