126 



THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



CHAP. 



Like the buds, the branches of the stock should be 

 " half-ripe." If worked on too soon, while still soft, or 

 when the wood appears green instead of white when 

 the bark is turned back, the chances of success are much 

 diminished, and the shoot is very likely to break off at 

 the cross cut. If attempted too late, a stock which has 

 not got a strong root hold often ceases to grow for a 

 while in a dry August, and the flow of sap being 

 lessened, the bark does not rise freely and readily. It is 

 absolutely useless to attempt budding in such a case, 

 where there is any difficulty in raising the bark. An 

 experienced eye can generally tell by the appearance of 

 growth or the want of it in the tips of the shoots, 

 whether the bark will rise and budding may be done. 



Do not necessarily choose the strongest laterals, but 

 medium-sized shoots half ripe but growing freely. Rub 

 the thorns off the two inches of the branch to be oper- 

 ated on which are nearest to the main stem. Next make 

 a cross cut half an inch long and about an inch from 

 the stem, and be sure it goes clean down to the wood, then 

 make a clean straight longitudinal cut at right angles 

 to the first one as far as the stem. Insert the bone 

 handle of the budding knife into this cut, and pass it 

 evenly down under the bark on both sides from cross 

 cut to stem, raising it a little, so that the two cuts form 

 a T. It is best so to choose the position that the 

 longitudinal cut does not pass through or near a wild 

 natural bud, as this will leave a little projection which 

 will hinder the smooth passage of the bud. It is not 

 worth while to try and get the new bud just where a 

 wild one was before. 



The stock is now ready and we turn to take a bud 

 from our Rose shoot. This should be sliced off so that 

 we have the leaf stalk with the bud under it in the 



