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III. On the Transplantation of Blossom-buds. By Thomas 

 Andrew Knight, Esq. F. R. S. $c. President. 



Read March 3, 1812. 



Jt has been long known to naturalists, that the blossom- 

 buds of trees are generally formed in the season preceding 

 that in which they unfold and execute their office ; and the 

 art of removing buds, from one tree to another, was pro- 

 bably almost as well understood two thousand years ago, as 

 at present. But, as far as my information extends, it does 

 not appear that any attempts have ever been made to 

 transfer a part of the abundant blossom-buds from one tree 

 to the barren branches of others ; though the experiments 

 which I shall proceed to state, prove that this may be done 

 with much facility, and probably, in some cases, with very 

 considerable advantage. 



I observed, in the autumn of the year 1810, that the 

 suckers, which had sprung from the roots of the rose-trees 

 in my garden, were in a perfectly proper state to receive 

 buds in the end of August ; and that buds, which appeared 

 to contain blossoms, might, at the same period, be taken, 

 with facility, from the branches of trees of more valuable 

 varieties of the same species. The largest and best buds I 

 could procure, were therefore inserted into scions from the 

 roots of other plants; and these buds, being abundantly 

 supplied with nutriment, afforded much finer roses, than they 

 would have done, had they retained their natural situation. 



