256 
Garden Work 
BUDDING 
Budding is a very popular way of propagation, especially 
for Roses and fruit trees, &c. It is very simple if the 
essential details are attended to. 
To begin with, the buds must be of sufficient size, yet 
not too far advanced, and the wood must part very freely 
from the bark. Then the stock, or plant in which the bud 
is to be inserted, must be in proper condition, so that the 
bark will part freely from the wood. The conditions are 
generally found to be most suitable from the middle of July 
until the beginning of August. The shoots should be 
selected with the buds intended to be taken off and inserted 
in the other plant. They should be nice and plump, but 
not too far advanced. Some at the base of the shoots will 
be found to be too matured, while those at the apex will 
not be matured enough. A good sharp budding knife, if 
possible, should be used, and the bud selected should be 
cut out by inserting the knife in. below the bud, cutting 
through about a third of the shoot, afterwards cutting 
upwards about f in. above the bud. The wood should then 
be very carefully removed by inserting the point of the 
knife at the bottom, lifting up the wood from the bark, and 
taking it between the thumb and the blade of the knife and 
jerking it out, taking care not to destroy the base of the 
bud. If there be a nice green little cushion opposite the 
bud it is all right, but if a little hole is there instead, the 
bud is useless, and will not grow. 
A little practice will soon make one able to take out the 
wood and leave the base of the bud every time. Some 
people take the wood out from the top, others from the 
