BUDDING. 
21 
m 
render them soft and pliable, (or in tlie absence of 
these some soft woollen yarn,) must also be at hand 
for tying the buds. 
Shield or T budding is the most approved mode 
in all countries. A new variety of this method now 
generally practised in this country we shall describe 
first as being the simplest and best mode for fruit 
trees. 
American shield budding . Having your stick of 
buds ready, choose a smooth portion of the stock. 
When the latter is small, let it be near the ground, 
and, if equally convenient, select also the north side 
of the stock, as less exposed to the sun. Make an 
upright incision in the bark from an inch to an inch 
and a half long, and at the top of this make a cross 
cut, so that the whole shall form a T. From the 
stick of buds, your knife being very sharp, cut a 
thin, smooth slice of wood and bark containing a 
bud, Fig. 9, a. With the ivory haft of your bud- 
ding knife, now raise the bark on each side of the 
incision just wide enough to admit easily the pre- 
pared bud. Taking hold of the footstalk of the leaf, 
insert the bud under the bark, pushing it gently 
down to the bottom of the incision. If the upper stick of buds. 
;u portion of the bud projects above the horizontal 
part of the T, cut it smoothly, off now, so that it 
, may completely fit, b. A bandage of the soft 
jj^ matting is now tied pretty firmly over the whole 
wound, Fig. 10, commencing at the bottom, and 
leaving the bud, and the footstalk of the leaf 
only exposed to the light and air. 
Common shield budding , Fig. 11, practised in 
all gardens in Europe, differs from the foregoing 
only in one respect — the removal of the slice of 
wood contained in the bud. This is taken out 
with the point of the knife, holding the bud or 
Tig. 9. American shield by the leaf stalk, with one hand, inserting 
shield budding, the knife under the wood at the lower extremity 
and then raising and drawing out the wood by 
bending it upwards and downwards, with a slight 
jerk, until it is loosened from the bark ; always 
taking care that a small portion of the wood re- 
mains behind to fill up the hollow at the base or 
heart of the bud. The bud thus prepared is in- 
serted precisely as before described. 
The American variety of shield budding is 
found greatly preferable to the European mode, 
at least for this climate. Many sorts of fruit trees, 
especially Plums and Cherries, nearly mature Fig. 10. 
