ufficient size for budding.
Those which are not of sufficient size at this time can be worked the
following spring and summer.

[Illustration: PLATE IV. A Pecan Nursery.

_Photo by J. F. Jones._]

THE NECESSARY MATERIALS AND TOOLS.

The materials and tools used in grafting and budding are: a grafting
iron, a mallet, budding knives, grafting wax, strips of waxed cloth and
twine.

[Illustration: FIG. 17. Grafting Iron.]

Of grafting irons there are a number of different kinds, but one after
the general type shown in Fig. 17, works very well. It will be noticed
that the blade is curved at the corners, and the edge instead of being
straight is curved downward in the center. This type of blade in some
measure prevents the bruising of the bark when splitting the branch in
cleft-grafting. Such a grafting iron may be made by almost any
blacksmith. However, a good stout knife may be used instead.

[Illustration: FIG. 18. Common Budding Knife.]

For use in grafting, an ordinary budding knife, one of which is
illustrated in Fig. 18, is well nigh indispensable. No other knife is so
well adapted to making the smooth, sloping cuts on the scions.

[Illustration: White's Budding Tool.

Galbreath's Budding Tool.

Nelson's Budding Tool.

PLATE V.]

Some persons can insert annular and veneer shield buds rapidly and well
with nothing but an ordinary budding knife. In general, however, a
budding knife having two blades, placed parallel with a space of
three-quarters of an inch or an inch apart, is best. A very satisfactory
knife may be made by fastening the blades of two ordinary budding knives
on the sides of a piece of wood seven-eighths of an inch square and four
inches in length. The blades can be firmly held in place by means of
rivets and a piece of wire wound about the whole.

Three special budding knives, for use in pecan budding, have been
introduced, one by Mr. Herbert C. White, of DeWitt, Ga., one by Mr. D.
Galbreath, of New Orleans, La., and the other by Mr. Wm. Nelson, of New
Orleans, La. In these knives the blades are fixed seven-eighths of an
inch, one and one-eighth inch, and three-fourths of an inch apart,
respectively. These make it possible to cut the buds and the place where
they are to be inserted on the stock exactly the same size, an essential
point in pecan budding. They have not yet come into general use,
although well recommended by some who have used them. The White budding
tool is particularl