Juli/.] 



THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



417 



The operation of budding, in all sorts, is mostly performed 

 on young trees raised from seed, suckers, layers, &c. which 

 are termed stocks, and which, when about half an inch thick 

 in the bottom of the stem, are of a proper size for budding 

 on, although it may be performed upon stocks much smaller. 

 It is also practised on trees that already bear fruit, when in- 

 tended to change the sorts, or to have different sorts on the 

 same tree, or to renew any particular branches of a tree ; per- 

 forming the operation on young shoots of the year's, or of one or 

 more year's growth. This is the most suitable time for begin- 

 ning this operation, although, in some cases, it may be done 

 successfully sooner ; but from the middle of this month till the 

 end of August is the most general season. When buds are 

 put in too early, they are apt to spring the same season, and 

 not having time to harden or ripen, are often destroyed in 

 winter. The buds should always have finished their spring 

 growth, and come off readily in the operation. The buds 

 ehould be taken from the young shoots of the same summer's 

 growth, and, like grafls, should be cut from the most healthy 

 trees intended to be propagated. A number of the best and 

 moderately strong shoots should be cut each day, as they are 

 wanted, and as they are collected, all the leaves should be cut 

 o.tf, with about a quarter of an inch of their foot-stalks only 

 left, trimming off also the spongy soft ends of the shoots ; 

 they should then be covered from the air and sun, and taken 

 as wanted; and as each cutting furnishes many buds, they 

 should be cut into pieces about an inch and a half long, as 

 they are inserted into the stocks. Those buds in the middle 

 part of the cuttings are preferable to those towards the ends. 



It is the common practice to insert one bud only in each 

 stock ; but some place two, one on each side, opposite eacli 

 other. 



The proper height at which to bud thc stocks varies according 

 to circumstances. For dwarf-trees intended for walls and espa- 

 liers. Sec. they should be budded fi'om within about three to 

 six inches of the bottom, that they may at first furnish branches 

 near the ground. For half-standards, at the height of three 

 or four feet ; and for full-standards, at from five to six or seven 

 feet height ; the stocks being trained accordingly. For half and 



3 H 



