HOW TO BUD AND ( IK A FT. 



35 



with the woody side upward, bend the end slightly, till the thiu 

 layer of wood remaining, separates at the end from the delicate 

 bark, then thrust your thumb nail between the two, and now 

 holding the bud uppermost so as to keep it straight and unbroken 

 gently pass you nail along bending the woody layer downward 

 until it is entirely detached, leaving in your hand a nice, clean 

 strip of bark with the bud intact ; if, however, the wood has not 

 parted readily, but has torn the bud oi*left a little hole in it, be 

 sure that it was not in a fit condition for budding, and thro w it 

 away. 



This may seem a difficult and delicate operation, at the first 

 glance, but difficult ? no, not after a little practice ; delicate? yes ; 

 but one cannot expect to treat a tender bud roughly and have it 

 live. If you prefer you can omit to remove the woody layer, pro- 

 vided you cut it as thin as possible, but it does not make either so 

 sure a junction or so sightly in the years to come, for as the al- 

 burnum or wood will never unite with the stock, neither be ab- 

 sorbed, there will always be an ugly knot or ridge marking the 

 point of junction between stock and scion, whereas the strip of 

 bark only, unites completely in every part, leaving in after years 

 a smooth, straight trunk, with no unsightly prominence. 



And now you are ready to insert the bud, which is to be done 

 upside down, for the same reason that you made the cross cut at 

 the base of the perpendicular, instead of the top, namely, because 

 in this position, as you will see, it sheds rain, and allows no water 

 to lodge and soak in between the bandage and the bud ; it is al- 

 ways better to leave the leaf attached to the bud, as this avoids 

 leaving open any channel for air or moisture to penetrate, and 

 moreover, the sap in the leaf nourishes the bud; but with or 

 without the leaves, insert your bud upside down ; push it gently 

 up from below, till the upper end of the cut is reached, be sure 

 that the bud-bark lies smoothly and that the lower end does not 

 project below the cross cut ; this accomplished, start the wrapping 

 just above the upper end of the cut, holding the end firmly while 

 you wrap, pulling tightly all the while. 



Some employ two wrappings, one above and one belovr the 

 bud, as it is all important to leave the bud itself— and only the 



