The stocks should be small, not over one-half inch caliper - one-fourth or one-third is better - in free flow of sap, and possessed of leaves or small leafy branches below the insertion of the bud, so that when the stock above the bud is cut away to start the bud, it may not die for want of leaves. I have lost heavily by having the bud put in too near the ground in young seedling peaches. The great heat of the season - about mid-June here in Texas - soured the sap of the stock before new leaves could be developed, and the stock died. At least five or six leaves should be left on a stock below the bud.

The bud is cut from a scion having buds just mature enough to show the tip of the bud, and in which the wood is mature enough not to break or snap. The scion or "stick" should be taken from a healthy, vigorous tree, and should be nearly as large as the stock to be budded. The bud is taken from the scion in the following manner: Cut with a very sharp, thin blade, beginning one-half inch below bud to one-half inch above, and at a depth about one-third the way through the scion, leaving the slice attached at upper end. Then with a dextrous half turn of the scion between thumb and finger, with the edge of the blade, bearing on the scion only heavily enough to cut just through the bark at upper end of slice, the bud is ready to take off. Then catch the bud and slice between thumb and finger, deftly twitching the slice, twisting downward on the scion, pinching gently on the edges of the slice, which will cause the bit of bark bearing the bud to slip off the slice of wood still held to scion by its upper end.

Still holding to the bud, insert its acute lower end under the lips of bark (see Fig. 3), raised by a deft turn of the blade on the stock previously to taking off the bud (see Fig. 2). Hold to the bit of leaf-stem between the thumb and finger, which was left at the bud when trimming the leaves from the "stick" of buds, and gently, steadily press the bud down, making it lift the bark of stock as it goes in. Push down till the entire piece of bark with bud in its center is resting under bark of stock with sap-face of bud-bark resting against sap-face of stock (see Fig. 4). Now tie with any convenient string - bass bark, prepared strips of corn-husk, jute yarn raveled from burlaps, or raffia - so that the tie will not loosen, and the operation is complete.

Fig. 1. Opening matrix on stock.

The matrix on the stock for receiving the bud is prepared by taking off a few leaves, if in the way, where the bud is to be inserted; then, with the blade, with edge perpendicularly over the center line of the stock, pressed just through the bark, draw up one inch; then set the blade crosswise of the perpendicular cut at top and diagonal to stock, and press just through the bark and give a little turn of the wrist to the right, causing the blade to lift the two lips of the matrix (see Fig. 1). The illustrations show the operations better than pen can describe them.

No one need expect to bud very successfully without considerable practice. An expert budder will insert in nursery row in ten hours' work, when stocks are trimmed and scions are brought to hand, from 2,000 to 3,000 buds, and sometimes even more, in peach-budding.

It is very important that the tier keep close upon the budder, and that the buds be tied-in closely and the tie secured from slipping ; but the point of bud should never be tied directly upon.

In June budding, the tie should be cut loose in six to eight days after the buds are inserted, by drawing the edge of the blade up the back side of the stock across the tie, severing every strand. The top of stock should be cut off at same time, just above the bud, as shown in Fig. 5. In a few days after the top is cut off, the sprouts starting from below and around the bud should be gradually taken off first just about the bud. As the bud grows into a scion and gets to be some six inches long, all the sprouts from the stock should be removed, the last to come off being on the side opposite the bud. Two to three times going over are necessary to insure best success in this part of the work.

Fig. a. A"Stick of Buds," prepared for twitching off with thumb and finger, for inserting in stock; and manner of holding the bud.

The peach is more often June-budded than any other tree, and in this climate, with everything favorable, a tree four to five feet high can often be produced in one season, equal to northern one-year trees with two-year root. Such stock is very smooth and beautiful.

Fig. 3. Bud entering matrix.

I have put fine new tops on two and three-year-old peach, by cutting back in winter and May-budding the young shoots. The danger in this lies in removing sprouts and top of budded shoots too rapidly, causing the entire stock to sicken and die for lack of foliage.

The plum trees grown from Marianna cuttings can be June-budded successfully to other plum or to peach and apricot.

I see no reason why other fruits, and some shrubs, may not be successfully June-budded, if the stocks can be gotten in condition early enough to get the buds started before the intense heat and drouth of July and August come on; these conditions make success difficult to attain.

Denison, Texas. T. V. Munson.

Fig. 4. Bud inserted and tied.