128 



THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



CHAP. 



bud be not bruised or cut and that no grit or foreign 

 substance whatever gets in. 



If the wood will not come out clean but adheres in 

 places, the bud is over-ripe and should not be used. If 

 it be very small or not ripe enough, some advise that it 

 be inserted without removing the wood. In such a case 

 the bud will sometimes grow, but this is grafting 

 not budding, and the union will not be so good or 

 lasting. 



The bud thus prepared must without any delay be 

 slipped under the cross cut and down the longitudinal 

 one, so that it just touches and fits to the cross cut. 

 This is not essential but is more likely to ensure success. 

 Many make the shield of bark containing the bud con- 

 siderably longer than the longitudinal slit which is to 

 enclose it, and cut it across when it is in so that it exactly 

 fits the cross cut. This is the mode generally adopted 

 by professionals, and requires a steady hand, good sight, 

 and a very keen knife. Amateurs probably more often 

 make the bud the right length to start with, cutting the 

 upper end square. The leaf-stalk will form a useful 

 handle for pushing the bud down into position. 



The bud should now be tied in, making the bands of 

 raffia touch one another and cover the whole of the slit 

 wood except the bud itself. The tie should be made 

 firm and fairly tight, and should not be removed for four 

 weeks, unless it is seen to be cutting into the bark. 

 The bud will generally have taken or failed by the end 

 of three weeks, but sometimes this is a little too soon to 

 remove the ties entirely. No shading is necessary 

 in the hottest weather, if the stock continues in good 

 growing order. 



There should be no shortening of the budded shoots, 

 before, at the time, or after budding. Shortening 



