HOW TO BUD AND GEAFT. 



31 



the stock — this is why they must be of similar nature, just ex- 

 actly as in ourselves, the two lips of a wound is drawn together 

 by the coagulable lymph which the blood deposits between them ; 

 but we do not know how, or by what inner force this resuit is at- 

 tained. 



Examine carefully the wound of a bud when it has "taken," 

 about two weeks after the operation, and you will observe a thin 

 layer of small, green granulations, in the midst of a viscid fluid, 

 ^nd joifting the two parts that have thus been successfully brought 

 together. These granulations are the rudiments of vegetable 

 organization, and are deposited by the cambium, soon becoming 

 fully solidified and complete ; and wherever there is a wound on 

 a tree, you will find this knitting going on, just like the mending 

 of a bone in a human being, provided that the air has been care- 

 fully excluded from the wound. 



Before entering upon the practical details of the usual meth- 

 ods of budding, let us fully understand the several requirements 

 necessary for its successful operation. 



First of all, both scion and stock should be inactive growth, 

 both should be strong and healthy, as otherwise the value of the 

 future tree would be seriously impaired ; the scion should be ta- 

 ken from fully matured shoots of the current year's growth of a 

 bearing tree, and always from the lateral branches, as they, for 

 some unexplained reason, will produce fruit much sooner than 

 a scion from the . uppermost branches ; also, where it is prac- 

 ticable to place a bud with fruit already growing on it, in the stock 

 fruit will be obtained much sooner than by the simple bud alone, 

 we have just shield budded a Sicily lemon, with fruit as large as a 

 walnut on its upper end, and we expect to see that lemon come 

 to perfection in the bosom of its foster mother and to have broth- 

 ers and sisters a year hence. 



In two weeks after the operation of budding, its success or 

 failure will be apparent. During this interval, and longer, if 

 the bud " takes " the scion should be partially shaded from the 

 too fierce rays of the sun, by a light wrapping of moss, or better 

 still, as it avoids the risk of too much moisture, from heavy 

 rains, by a board inclined against the trunk, in front of the scion. 



