ur gardeners. In another part of this book will
be found a chapter on grafting; this, though differently performed, is
analogous in its results to budding, and many amateurs not infrequently
speak of them in the same terms. To graft a cion, one end is carefully
cut in the shape of a wedge, and inserted in a cleft where it is to
grow; on the other hand, in budding, we use but a single eye, taken from
a small branch, and insert it inside of the bark of the stock or tree we
wish to bud. From this one eye, we may in time look for a tree laden
with precious fruit. To be more explicit, and by way of illustration, we
will imagine a seedling apple tree, a "natural," to have grown up in our
garden. If left alone, the fruit of that seedling tree would probably be
worthless, but we don't propose to risk that, and will proceed to bud it
with some kind more worthy of room in a garden. When the proper season
for budding fruit arrives, generally from the first to the latter part
of July, will be the time to bud, if the stock is growing thriftily. A
keen-bladed budding knife made for the purpose, a "cion" or "stick" of
the variety to be budded, some twine (basswood bark is the best), make
up the needed outfit for this operation. If the seedling is large, say
five or six feet high, it should be top-budded, putting in a bud or two
in each of the thriftiest branches. If the stock is not over one to two
feet high, a single bud a few inches from the ground will be the best
way to make a good tree of it. At the spot where we have decided to
insert the bud, we will make a short, horizontal cut, then downwards a
short, perpendicular "slit," not over an inch long, and just penetrating
through the bark; open the slit, care being taken not to scratch the
wood within, then insert the bud at the top of the cut, and slide it
down to its proper place inside of the bark, the top of the bud being in
juxtaposition with the horizontal cut above. Considerable skill is
required to cut a bud properly, and two methods are practised, known as
"budding with the wood in," and "budding with the wood out." The former
consists in cutting a very little wood with the bud, a little deeper
than the bark itself, and in the latter the wood is removed from the
bud, leaving nothing but the bare bark. Unquestionably the surest way
for a young budder is to remove the wood, cutting a pretty deep bud, and
then in making the cross cut let it be only as deep as the bark, and by
g