Budding
from Your Plants
Budding as an art is simple, useful, and easily acquired by any one with
a little practice. More can be learned practically about budding in a
few hours spent with a skillful nurseryman while he is performing the
operation, than could be derived from anything we might write on the
subject. We are aware that we shall not be able to state in this brief
chapter what will be new or instructive to experienced gardeners or
nurserymen. This is not our aim, what may be old to them is likely to be
new to thousands of amateur 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
giving it a twitch the bud will readily leave the wood. I will say,
however, that most nurserymen insist on budding with the wood, which it
is claimed is the surest and best way to bud. We have tried both ways
for years, and have been able to discover no difference, excepting where
the buds are quite green at the time of budding, when it is best to have
a little wood with the bud to sustain it. Plums should invariably be
budded with the wood out.
After the bud has been properly set, it should be firmly tied with a
broad string, making the laps close enough to entirely cover the slip,
leaving the eye of the bud uncovered. Various kinds of strings for tying
buds are used by nurserymen, but the basswood bark, which is made into
broad, ribbon-like strips, seems peculiarly adapted for the purpose, and
we advise its use where one has any considerable amount of budding to
do. It usually takes from three to four weeks for a bud to callous and
form a union with the stock; at the expiration of this time the strings
should be taken off; we would except only those cases where the stock is
growing, when if the strings pinch the stock too closely, they can be
removed some time sooner.
The stock or stocks can now be left until the following spring, when the
top should be cut away to within an inch or less of the bud; this will
assist the roots to throw all their energy into the bud.
Next: Top-budding Trees
Previous: How To Make A Rockery
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