THE OLIVE 69 



only a small piece of the stem of one of them, to hold the shield by, 

 between the fingers. Keep the grafts, or buds, when thus prepared, 

 in a dark, cold, and damp place, until the time that they are requir- 

 ed for placing upon the stock. 



2d — Make an incision in the form of the letter T, penetrating 

 to the wood, and separate with the spatula, the two lips of the bark 

 towards the top. 



3d — Separate the shield from its branch, in such a manner, as to 

 take off with the bark, the smallest portion of the wood, preserving 

 in every case, the green tissue behind the bud. Unless this be at- 

 tended to, the success of the graft is impossible. 



4th — Slip this shield into the incision, between the bark and the- 

 wood : then bring the edges of the bark together by means 

 of a ligature, in such a manner, that the base of the bud presses 

 closely to the wood of the stock. This is an essential point. 



5th — Sometime after budding, look at the buds, and slacken the 

 bandages if they become too tight. 



6th — On the arrival of spring, if the buds have taken effect, cut 

 off the stem or branches of the stock about three inches above 

 the bud. This is done to stimulate the development of the bud. 



7th — Cut the head of the subject grafted the following winter. 

 The first or crown grafting, is employed on the large trees from the 

 Esterel to Genes. In Provence, Avignon, and Gard, shield grafting- 

 is preferred. At Grasse, they graft the young trees at the age of 

 five or six years, in spring time, when the sap mounts, and when the 

 bark is easily detached. They choose the graft from the gourmand 

 shoots of two years old, the wood Avell grown and bark smooth ; se- 

 lecting those in which the eves are well marked. According to the 

 size of the branch, or of the trunk of the tree, they place two- 

 scions judiciously. The scions having been placed, the whole 

 is enveloped with clay, and confined with a bandage. The best time is 

 the spring, when the trees are always large and full of branches ; 

 some branches are left ungrafted as ducts for the sap, the accu- 



