ITS CULTUKE IX CALIFOKNIA. 



35 



CHAPT 



B U D D 



The general theory of extending and 

 perpetuating varieties of fruits by bud- 

 ding is too well understood to require 

 ■discussion here. While it may be said 

 that the principle has found acceptance 

 throughout the domain of horticulture, 

 with the orange it has remained a mooted 

 <[uestiou longer than with any other fruit. 

 But here also science is gradually and 

 surely gaining the day. It has been 

 urged against budding the orange that 

 the operation induces precocity, thereby 

 dwarfing the tree, curtailing its produc- 

 tive capacity and shortening its life. That 

 budding induces precocity there is no 

 question. While a seedling tree can not 

 be relied upon to come into bearing until 

 eight y^ars old, a budded tree will bear at 

 live (i. €., the stock being five, the budded 

 growth three). Whether buddmg dwarfs 

 the tree or not depends entirely upon the 

 habit of the tree from which the bud 

 €omes. I have seen full-sized standard 

 ■trees from buds of the Konah, WolfskiU's 

 Best and Cuban. The Washington Xavel, 

 St. Michael, Mediterranean Sweet and 

 Malta Blood makej^mder-sized trees. But 

 by reason of theii' lesser size a greater 

 number may be set to the acre, and thus, 

 in full bearing, the yield may equal that 

 of standard trees. But the quality waived 

 ■entirely;— allowing a smaller yield from 

 budded trees — the difference in quality 

 , must determine the matter in tiieir favor. 

 In the scales of value a box of uniform 

 Navels will outweigh three boxes of hit- 

 and-miss seedlings. It must be remem- 

 bered that there is no exact perpetuation 

 of excellence by the seed. A seedling is a 

 seedling, whether the seed be brought 

 from Cuba, Australia or the Mediterranean 

 country. The tree from foreign seed, 

 being grown to maturity in our soil, gen- 

 erally partakes of the characteristics of 

 native stock; — producing a fruit with thick 

 a-ind, and averaging with the rest in size 

 and flavor. There is, in fact, no likelihood 

 that any seedling will improve on these 

 varieties already originated here, and 

 which haye been givea the distinction of 

 ^ name, such as Wilson's and Wolfskill's 

 Best, while there are many chances for it 



ER III. 



I X G . 



to drop far below mediocrity. With bud- 

 ded fruit the case is quite different. Uni- 

 formity of excellence is obtained in it. 

 The evil results of the precocity alluded 

 to may be obviated by rigorously thinning 

 the fruit as the tree comes into bearing. 

 In our climate, the tendency of all trees 

 is to overbear at first; and if this is not 

 curbed, their health and productiveness 

 may be seriously impaired. Budded or- 

 ange trees do not stand alone in this mat- 

 ter, though they may present an extreme 

 case. The fact remains that, if a man 

 buds his trees and devotes to them some 

 extra attention, he may hasten his returns 

 three years and enhance the value of his 

 fruit. Budding is in line with all other 

 advanced scientific methods. What labor- 

 saving machinery is to manual labor, and 

 thoroughbred live stock to native breeds, 

 the budded orange tree is to the seedling. 

 Do not be behind the times. Bud your 

 trees. Having determined this matter to 

 my satisfaction, at least, I come to the 

 modus operandi of budding. I am in- 

 debted to Mr. J. M. Warner, a budder of 

 long experience, for many practical sug- 

 gestions contained herein. 



Time. — Buds are inserted in the fall- 

 October and November — and in the spring 

 and early summer — March to the last of 

 June, the latter being much the more 

 popular season. The exact time for bud- 

 ding depends indirectly upon the weather 

 and directly upon the condition of the 

 stock to be budded. Buds inserted in 

 the fall come under the designation of 

 "dormant" as they do not start until the 

 following spring. Then, of course, they 

 begin early if at all, and therein lies the 

 only advantage of fall budding. On the 

 other hand, there is great danger that the 

 buds may be killed by severe cold during 

 the winter. Midsummer budding, al- 

 though feasible, is condemned by the best 

 authorities. The lateness of starting 

 makes a short season's growth, and the 

 wood being prematurely hardened by 

 cold weather, the tree is stunted. The 

 earlier in the spring that budding can be 

 done in conformity with right principles, 

 the better. 



