G HAFT IX G AND BUDDING. 



135 



be sufficiently woody. Their condition as regards the sap is 

 ascertained in the same way as that of the stock, and tho 

 wood is shown to be properly ripened by the well-pronounced 

 colour of the outer bark, by the formation of the terminal bud, 

 and by the elasticity of the tissues under the pressure of the 

 finger. Shoots rather advanced in maturity are to be 

 preferred to those which are in a completely herbaceous stage 

 of growth ; however, it is better to have them in the conditioi? 

 mentioned above. 



Orel i nary S li ielcl-B udd in g . 



Of all the methods this is the most extensively used in 

 nurseries and gardens. 



"Preparation of the Scioris. 

 The shoots, having been selected according to the foregoing 

 directions, are prepared by rejecting whatever is useless for 

 budding. In the first place, we may observe that the eyes in 

 the middle of the shoot are generally the most suitable for 

 use in shield-budding ; those at the base and top have often 

 the defect of being imperfect, herbaceous, blind, or too much 

 disposed to fruit. The bud to be selected should be well 

 formed, neither latent nor a fruit bud, nor damaged in any 

 way. Shoots of forced growth, and those which have too 

 great a tendency to produce flowers, do not afford suitable 

 eyes for budding purposes. If, however, there is a deficiency 

 of good buds, one may employ doubtful ones, using two 

 instead of one, or one good bud and one doubtful one on the 

 same stock. There are some shoots which appear uncertain, 

 but which turn out well with the help of pinching. Over- 

 grown spurred shoots are not to be despised, nor are those 

 which are covered with an abundance of leaves. The pear 

 branch (A) having been selected, the extremities (B and C), 

 which are useless, are cut off, and the leaves cut down on 



