208 
BUDDING. 
BUDDING. 
I. The season Usually adopted for budding or 
inoculation, is in the month of August, and is 
sometimes called summer-budding ; but it may be 
performed as soon as shoots with good eyes of the 
current year can be had, which may be reckoned 
from mid-summer to the middle of August—the 
criterion being the formation of buds in the axils of 
the leaves of the present year. The buds are 
known to be ready for insertion, by the shield or 
portion of the bark, to which they are attached, 
easily parting with the wood. Let the scions, 
from which the buds are to be procured for inocula¬ 
tion, be taken only from the outside branches of 
healthy and fruitful trees. The buds usually pre¬ 
ferred, are those on the middle of young shoots, 
as they are not so liable to run to wood as those at 
the extremity, nor so apt to lie dormant as those 
at the lower end. In some cases, however, as in 
the walnut, the buds at the base of the annual 
shoots should only be used. Let the buds be col¬ 
lected in a cloudy day, or at an early or late hour 
of a fair one. When they are to be transported at 
a distance, they maybe packed in moistened moss; 
or if shortly to be used, they may be put into a 
vessel of water; though, in general, they should 
be used as soon as possible after gathering. Be¬ 
fore the buds are prepared, get the stock ready to 
receive them. At the part fixed on for the inocula¬ 
tion, which should be smooth and rather on the 
northerly side of the branch, make an incision with 
a sharp knife quite through the bark, but not into 
the wood, in the form of the letter T, as at a, fig. 
44, having the crosscut and slit downward of a ne¬ 
cessary length to admit the bud. This beinor done, 
proceed quickly and take off a bud by holding a 
shoot in one hand with the thickest end outward, 
and with the knife in the other hand, enter it 
about half an inch or more below the bud, cutting 
nearly half way into the wood of the shoot, con¬ 
tinuing it with one clean slanting cut, about half 
of an inch or more above the bud, so deep as to 
take off part of the wood along with it, the whole 
to be about an inch and a half long as represented 
by l; then directly with the thumb and linger, or 
Buddtng.—Fig. 44. 
point of the knife, slip off the woody part remain¬ 
ing on the bud, and observe whether the eye or 
germ of the bud remains perfect; if not, and a little 
hole appears in that part, it is unfit for use, or, as 
the nurserymen say, “ the bud has lost its root,” 
and another must be prepared. This being done, 
place the back part of the bud or shield between 
your lips, and with the flat*haft of the knife or a 
piece of ivory or bone formed for the purpose, sep¬ 
arate the bark of the stalk a for the admission of 
the bud, which slip down close between the wood 
and bark to the bottom of the split c. Then cut 
off the top part of the shield containing the bud 
even with the horizontal or cross-cut first made, 
in order to let it completely into its place, and to 
join exactly the upper edge of the shield with the 
transverse cut, in order that the descending sap 
may immediately enter the back of the shield, and 
deposite granulated matter between it and the 
wood, so as to effect a living union. The parts 
are next to be immediately bound round with a 
water-proof bass ligament, or some substitute, as in 
d y beginning a little below the bottom of the perpen¬ 
dicular slit, proceeding upward closely round every 
part, except just over the eye of the bud, and con¬ 
tinue it a little above the horizontal cut, sufficiently 
tight to keep the whole secure, and to exclude the 
air and moisture without the use of grafting-wax or 
clay. In a fortnight, at farthest, after performing 
the operation, such buds as have united may be 
known by their fresh appearance, and in three 
weeks, all those which have succeeded, must have 
their ligatures loosened, and in a week or two 
more, entirely removed. In the spring following, 
the stocks should be headed down, leaving one or 
two shoots above the inserted buds. 
2. Another sure and expeditious mode of inocu¬ 
lation, is that known by the name of spring-bud¬ 
ding , by which the bark of the stock, as early in 
the season as it will separate from the wood, is 
cut like the letter “jf inverted, (thus J^,) as shown 
Budding.—Fig. 45. 
by a, fig. 45; whereas, in summer-budding, it forms 
a ‘If in its erect position. The horizontal edges of 
this cut in the stock, and of the shield-bark con¬ 
taining the bud, should be brought into the most 
perfect contact as denoted by b ; because the union 
of the bark, in spring, takes place by means of the 
ascent of the sap, whereas, in summer-budding, it 
is supposed to be caused by its descent. The parts 
should then be immediately bound with a bass 
ligature as shown by c, without applying either 
grafting-wax or clay. The buds may be inserted 
either in a healthful branch, or in a stock near the 
ground. In general,, two buds are sufficient for 
one stock; and these should be of the same variety, 
as two sorts seldom grow with equal vigor. The 
bass ligature which confines the bud, may be re¬ 
moved, if the season be moist, in a month after 
budding; but if it be hot and dry, not for six 
