CULTURE OF CHERRIES. 
2-39 
in the other, (/) making the edges of the bark of the scion, and the 
edges of the bark of the stock meet precisely, for on this ) our success 
depends. The two parts thus joined, must be bound closely together 
by bass matting (< 7 ), and this, if well and smoothly tied, will 
almost be sufficient. But to prevent all evil effects from parching 
drying winds, a ball of well-beaten clay should cover the whole 
matting, ( h ) and to prevent this ball of clay, from being washed off by 
heavy rains, draw' up the earth round the whole plant, so as nearly 
to reach the top of the clay (£). In about a month, it will be seen 
whether the grafts will grow r or not; if they die, strip the stocks from 
their incumbrances, and encourage them to grow; but on the other 
hand, if the scions grow, be careful to rub off all shoots growing from 
the stocks. And as the scions begin to put forth branches, place a small 
stick in the ground by the side of them, and tie them with a bit of 
matting, to prevent their being broken by the wind. 
Budding Standard Cherries. —The proper season for this opera¬ 
tion is the middle of July to the end of August; or in fact, as early 
and as late as the bark of the stock will freely separate from the 
wood, and when the buds formed on the spring shoot of the same year, 
have a nice plump appearance, Let the budding be done early in 
the morning, or late in the evening, unless the weather be cloudy. 
The mode is this :—cut off a spring shoot with good buds from the 
tree you wish to propagate ; take this branch in your left hand having 
the thick end downwards, and make a sloping cut from about one inch 
and a half below the bud, to about an inch above it, allowing your 
knife to enter half way into the wood. Cut off the leaf w r here the bud 
is seated, but leave the footstalk remaining, presenting the appear¬ 
ance of Fig. 32, ( a ). Put this footstalk between your lips, hohl- 
it there whilst with the bud- 
ding-knife you cut two straight 
lines through the bark of the 
stock, if possible, on the 
northern side, in the form of 
a T ( b ). Then take out the 
wood from the bark on 
which the bud is fixed, in do¬ 
ing which be careful not to 
take the heart or root of the 
bud away with it. You must, therefore examine after the wood is dis¬ 
engaged, for if the heart be gone, a small hole will be perceivable ; in 
this case, you must try another. After the bud is ready, take the 
ivory haft of your budding-knife, or for want of that, a piece of wood 
s 3 
32 
