P O R E S T - T R E E S. 241 



Inoculation or budding is a fpecies of grafting infinitely 

 fuperior to any other yet invented for moft kinds of trees, and 

 will fucceed with many forts that will not grow, nor make good 

 plants, by any other means. From this pradice of only open- 

 ing about an inch of the bark, and gently thru (ling in a fmall 

 bud between that and the wood, there is not the fmalleft violence 

 committed on the flock, which, being done in the growing feafon, 

 in two or three weeks becomes perfedly found. 



This operation is commonly performed from the middle of 

 June till the middle of Augufl, a little fooner or later as the fea- 

 fon is more or lefs forward : But the befl rule to obferve, is to 

 begin when you find the buds fully formed at the extremity of 

 the fame year's fhoots, at which time they have finiflicd their 

 fpring growth, and are ripe for inoculation. 



In very hot dry fummers, particularly in light thin ground, 

 the bark of the flocks will not open clean and fmooth, from both 

 a want and flagnation of juices : To remedy which, two or three 

 weeks before the feafon of budding commences, let the flocks be 

 -regularly watered every third or fourth evening ; and if fome is 

 fprinkled over the tops, from the rofe of the watering-pot, to imi- 

 tate Nature's watering, it will contribute much to invigorate 

 them. This too may be very fuccefsfuUy applied to the trees 

 from whence the buds are to be taken ; by not knowing or at- 

 tending to which, I have frequently feen whole quarters of buds 

 perifh, and others where the flocks were fo hide-bound that 

 the bark would by no means feparate from the wood to receive 

 the bud. A watering or two after the buds are put in, will like- 

 wife be of ufe, 



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