This is usually given under the article on peaches. But, as it is a
general subject, it should be in a separate article, reserving what is
peculiar to the different fruits to be noticed under their respective
heads.
[Illustration: Budding.]
Budding small trees should usually be performed very near the ground,
and on a smooth place. Any sharp pocket-knife will do; but a regular
budding knife, now for sale in most hardware-stores, is preferable. Cut
through the bark in the form of a horizontal crescent (_a_ in the cut).
Split the bark down from the cut three fourths of an inch, and, with the
ivory-end of the knife, raise the corners and edges of the bark. Select
a vigorous shoot of this year's growth, but having buds well
matured--select a bud that bids fairest to be a leaf-bud, as
blossom-buds will fail--insert the knife half an inch below the bud, and
cut upward in a straight line, severing the bark and a thin piece of the
wood to one half inch above the bud, and let the knife run out: you
then have a bud ready for insertion (_c_ in cut). The English method is
to remove the wood from the bud before inserting it; this is attended
with danger to the vitality of the bud, and is, therefore, less certain
of success, and it is no better when it does succeed. Hence, American
authorities favor inserting the bud with the wood remaining. Insert the
lower end of this slip between the two edges of the bark, passing the
bud down between those edges, until the top of the slip comes below the
horizontal cut, and remaining contiguous to it. If the bud slip be too
long, after it is sufficiently pressed down, cut off the top so as to
make a good fit with the bark above the cut (_b_ in cut). The lower end
of the bud will have raised the split bark a little more to make room
for itself, and thus will set very close to the stalk. Tie the bud in
with a soft ligature; commence at the bottom of the split, and wind
closely until the whole wound is covered, leaving only the bud exposed
(_d_ in cut). It is more convenient to commence at the top, but it is
less certain to confine the slip opposite the bud in close contact with
the stalk: this is indispensable to success. We have often seen buds
adhere well at the bottom, but stand out from the stalk, and thus be
ruined.
_Preparation of Buds._--Take thrifty, vigorous shoots of this year's
growth, with well-matured buds; cut off the leaves one half inch from
the stalks (_e_ in cut); wrap them in moist moss or grass, or put them
in sawdust, or bury them one foot in the ground.
_Bands._--The best yet known is the inside bark of the linden or
American basswood. In June, when the bark slips easily, strip it from
the tree, remove the coarse outside, immerse the inside bark in water
for twenty days; the fibres will then easily separate, and become soft
and pliable as satin ribbon. Cut it into convenient lengths, say one
foot, and lay them away in a dry state, in which they will keep for
years. This will afford good ties for many uses, such as bandages of
vegetables for market, &c. Matting that comes around Russia iron and
furniture does very well for bands; woollen yarn and candle-wicking are
also used; but the bass-bark is best. After ten days the bands should be
loosened and retied; then, if the bud is dried, it is spoiled, and the
tree should be rebudded in another place; at the end of three weeks, if
the bud adheres firmly, remove the band entirely. Better not bud on the
south side; it is liable to injury in winter. In the spring, after the
swelling of buds, but before the appearance of leaves, cut off the top
four inches above the bud; when the bud grows, tie the tender shoot to
the stalk (growing bud in cut, _f_). In July, cut the wood off even with
the base of the bud and slanting up smoothly.
_Causes of Failure._--If you insert a blossom-bud you will get no shoot,
although the bud may adhere well. If scions cut for buds remain two
hours in the sun with the leaves on, in a hot day, they will all be
spoiled. The leaves draw the moisture from the bud, and soon ruin it.
Cut the leaves off at once. If you use buds from a scion not fully
grown, very few of them will live; they must be matured. If the top of
the branch selected be growing and very tender, use no buds near the top
of it. If in raising the bark to make room for the bud, you injure the
soft substance between the bark and the wood, the bud will not adhere.
If the bud be not brought in close contact with the stalk and firmly
confined there, it will not grow. With reasonable caution on these
points, not more than one in fifty need fail.
_Time for Budding._--This varies with the season. In the latitude of
central New York, in a dry season, when everything matures early, bud
peaches from the 15th to the 25th of August--plums, &c., earlier. In wet
and great growing seasons, the first ten days in September are best.
Much budding is lost on account of having been done so late as to allow
no time for the buds to adhere before the tree stops growing for the
season. If budding is performed too early, the stalk grows too much over
the bud, and it gums and dies. It is utterly useless to bud when the
bark is with difficulty loosened; it is always a failure.