THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume VII, Issue 237, 25 January 1889, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

Budding. — The exact position of the bud being being determined, the incision is made across the stock transversely, in length sufficient to creat an opening for the bud. This slit forms the head of the inoision, which, when the next slit is made, will form the letter T. In making this slit, or inoision, a somewhat bold cut must be made ; in fact, the point of the knife must be made to reach the surface of the wood of the

stock

The perpendicular slit is "made from the bottom upwards ; and an experienced budder gives a peculiar flirt, or jerk, to the knife when he approaches the head of the T. This jerk at once rifts up the bark better than any slow process could do it ; and the haft of the budding knife is in a moment turned round, and the point introduced; and, by pressing it close to the wood, right and left, the bark is, as it were, ploughed up, or liberated from the wood.

All is now ready for the reception of the bad, which is, indeed, by most good bndders, prepared first, as foU lows : — The catting, or shoot, of the kind to be inserted, being wood of the current years' growth, is generally kept in a waterpot, first cutting off all leaves ; care must, however, be taken to leave most of the leaf stalk to handle the bud by. Thiß also, doubtless assists in forming a speedy union. The bud, with its bark and a little of the wood of the tree, is then cut off in the form of a shield ; and the

point of the tflnVand thumb nail of the right hand, by a little nice hand* ling, are made to remove the portion of woody matter from the centre. The bud is instantly introduced b9neath the bark in the T incision of the stock, where, as before observed,, it is found in the same relation to thestock or etem, of its new parent a* existed between it and the shoot whence it sprang. This done, it is carefully and closely, but not tightly, bound with the bast. The operator; generally beginning to bind at the lower end, gives an extra tug with the mat when he comes to tolerably close to the lower end of the leaf stalk. When a choice of position offers itself, the shady aide of the stock is preferred. Clond/ weather is, in all cases better than sunny periods.