How to do it.—The stocks being in a suitable condition as above described, they should be trimmed of their lateral shoots for a few inches from the ground. This may be done immediately in advance of the budder, or it may have been done a few days before the budding. The stock may be one year old, or two years; after this period they do not work so well. The usual method is to make a T incision through the bark of the stock, as low down as possible, but in a smooth piece of the stem; some prefer to insert the shield just below the natural site of a bud. The knife should be thin and sharp, and if the stock be in good condition, it will pass through the bark with very little resistance; but if the stock be too dry, the experienced budder will detect it by the different feeling communicated through his knife, by the increased resistance to be overcome in making the cut. The custom has been to raise the bark by inserting the haft of the budding knife gently, so as to start the corners of the incision, preparatory to inserting the bud; but our best budders depend upon the shield separating the bark as it is introduced. The bud is cut from the scion by the same knife, which is entered half an inch above the bud, and drawn downward about one-third the diameter of the scion, and brought out an equal distance below the bud; this makes the shield, or bud. The authorities direct that the wood should be removed from the shield before it is inserted; this is a nice operation, requiring some dexterity to avoid injuring the base of the bud, which constitutes its connection with the medulla or pith within the stick. The base of the bud is represented by b, figure 17. Various appliances have been invented to aid in this separation, some use a piece of quill, others a kind of gouge; but if the bark run freely on the scion, there will be little difficulty in separating the wood from the shield with the fingers alone. All this may be avoided by adopting what is called the American method of budding, which consists in leaving the wood in the shield, (fig. 18, b) that should be cut thinner, and is then inserted beneath the bark without any difficulty, and may be made to fit closely enough for all practical purposes. Like everything else American, this is a time-saving and labor-saving plan, and therefore readily adopted by the practical nurseryman, who will insert two thousand in a day.
Fig. 17.—BUDDING, WITH THE WOOD REMOVED. b, THE INSIDE OF THE SHIELD SHOWING THE BASE OF THE BUD.
Fig. 18.—AMERICAN BUDDING. b, THE BUD WITH THE WOOD REMAINING.
A division of labor is had generally, so far as the tying is concerned; for this is done by a boy who follows immediately after the budder, and some of these require two smart boys. S.S. Jackson has carried this principle of division of labor still further, and, as appears, with advantage; one hand cuts the shields for another who inserts them. He never uses the haft of his knife to raise the bark, but, after having made the longitudinal cut through the bark, he places the knife in position to make the transverse incision, and as he cuts the bark, the edge of the blade being inclined downward, the shield is placed on the stock close above the knife, which is then still further inclined toward the stock, resting upon the shield as a fulcrum; thus started, the bark will readily yield to the shield, which is then pressed down home into its place.
Fig. 19.—MR. JACKSON'S METHOD OF MAKING THE INCISION.
J.W. Tenbrook, of Indiana, has invented a little instrument with which he makes the longitudinal and transverse incisions, and raises the bark, all at one operation, and inserts the bud with the other hand. On these plans, two persons may work together, one cutting, the other inserting the buds; these may change work occasionally for rest. In all cases it is best to have other hands to tie-in the buds, two or three boys will generally find full occupation behind a smart budder. It will be apparent that the above processes can only be performed when the stock is in the most perfect condition of growth, so that the bark can be pressed away before the bud; a good workman will not desire to bud under any other circumstances.
In budding, it is found that the upper end of the shield is the last to adhere to the stock; it needs to be closely applied and pressed by the bandage, and if too long, so as to project above the transverse incision, it should be cut off.
Fig. 20.—STICK OF BUDS.
Fig. 21.—RING BUDDING.
Another expedient for facilitating the operation of budding is made use of by some of the nurserymen who grow peach trees extensively. It consists in, preparing the stick of buds, as shown in the engraving, figure 20. A cut is made, with a sharp knife, through the bark, around each bud, as in the figure. The budder then removes the buds as they are wanted, with a slight sidewise pull, and has the shield in the right condition to insert, without the trouble of removing the wood. When working in this manner, the stick of buds must not be allowed to dry, and the work must be done at a time when the bark parts with the greatest ease.
Among the modifications of the process of budding, that, called ring-budding, fig. 21, may be mentioned, rather as a curiosity however, though preferred by some, especially for the grape, which is said to be very easily budded, though we seldom see the operation practiced.
Those who are anxious to commence budding early in the season, prepare the scions they expect to use, by pinching the ends and cutting off a portion of the leaves; the effect of this check to the wood growth is to hasten the ripening or development of the buds, which rapidly swell, preparatory to breaking, in their attempt to reproduce the foliage that had been removed.
Tying should be done as soon as convenient after the buds have been inserted; though under very favorable circumstances the bud may adhere and do well without any bandaging, no one thinks of leaving the work without carefully tying in the buds, and most budders lay a great deal of stress upon the necessity for covering the whole shield and cut with a continuous bandaging, that shall exclude the light, and air, and moisture. The material most used is bass matting, brought from Russia, as a covering to the packages of sheet iron for which that country is famous. This is the inner bark of the Tilia Europea, but our own Bass-wood, T. Americana, furnishes an excellent bass, and is procured by our nurserymen directly from the trees, by stripping the bark in June, and after it has lain a few days in water, the inner portion separates easily, is dried, and put away for future use. Those who have not provided the bass, are content to apply woolen yarn to tie in the buds; its elasticity adapts it well to the purpose. The ingenious budder, without bass, often finds a substitute for it, and a very good tie, in the soft husks of corn ears, the inner husks are torn into strips and used a little damp, when they are pliant and easily tied, answering a very good purpose. Many nurserymen, who have tried the corn-husk, prefer it to all other material, because it