BUDDING FRUIT TREES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 15

BUDDING FRUIT TREES.

METHODOO r PROCEDURE.

After perusal of the article in last week's notes, setting forth the reasons why budding is performed, the orchardist should decide whether or not, he has any budding to be done this season. While an early start is desirable, it is not advisable to begin the work at too early a date. Years of experimenting have shown professional orchardists the best time for carrying out this work, and amateurs should bo guided by their experience. February is probably the best month in which to practise budding, although it may bo performed also in March. The advantage of completing the work before March was demonstrated last season when an exceptionally prolonged dry period was experienced. As a guarantee of the non-recurrence of this happening does not exist intending budders should be wise to complete the work before the flow of sap becomes too sluggish. The effect of the dry season last year was to cause the trees to stop growth much earlier than usual. Budding which was carried out late had very little prospect of success, and in the great majority of cases the buds merely shrivelled up and died. Even the budding carried out fairly early did not meet with too great a measure of success. Apricots, cherries and certain varieties of plums may be dealt with first, and the remaining fruit trees may bo budded a little later. Budding of the specified trees may bo commenced immediately, and the great bulk of the other trees in about a week or so.

Provision o! " Bud-Sticks." The orchardist must provide himself with suitable " bud-sticks," as tlicy are called. These consist of shoots taken from other trees and from which are obtained the buds for working on to those trees to be budded. The selection of bud-sticks should be made carefully so that only the best are obtained. The quality of the actual sticks themselves is not the only thing on which the orchardist should base his choice, for there are other factors which are equally as important as the vigour of the sticks. One of these is the capacity of the tree from which the sticks are procured to bear well. It is useless to take buds from anv tree which has never shown any ability to bear heavy crops. As far as the actual qualify of the bud-sticks is concerned, it may be said that they should be vigorous, and should be cut off trees that are growing healthily. Spindly bud-sticks will have only halfformed buds, and these are of very little use for budding purposes. The larger the buds on the sticks the more suitable are they for the desired purpose. As soon as the sticks have been cut off the tree the leaves should be removed, this being done to prevent all unnecessary evaporation of moisture from the sticks. About half an inch of the stalk of each leaf should be retained in order to facilitate the handling of the buds and protect them when being bound up after having been inserted.

Preparing the Stock. The stock is the shoot or branch in which it is desired to insert a bud. The usual method of budding and the handiest one for amateurs is that known as T budding. It is so called on account of the fact that the two incisions that are necessary in this method arc in the form of aT. The proper way is to insert the bud so that it points in the direction in which it is desired to grow. As the shoots from the buds will, in almost every case, be required as leaders to form the framework of the new tree, the buds should be inserted on the outside of the shoot, so that a cup-shaped framework will be possible. The stock is prepared by making a vertical cut about an inch or an inch and a-half long, a horizontal cut about half an-incb long being made across the top of the first one. A sharp knife with a thin blade is necessary. A_clean cut is essential if the wound is to heal. The two incisions having been made, the next thing is to carefully raise the flaps of bark on either side of the longer cut. The knife blade is not suitable for this, and a thin piece of stick should be pared down so that it is flat and tapering. This will be found quite suitable and efficient. The stock is then ready for the reception of the bud, which should be prepared as speedily as possible. Cutting the Bud.

The bud is cut off the bud-stick by commencing the cut about half-an-inch above the bud, and running the knife beneath the bud to a point half an inch below it. The biul is thus removed on a strip of bark about a?i inch long at the back of which will be seen a little piece of the wood of the bud-stick. Most orchardists consider it advisable to remove this chip, which should be done very carefully so that the bud itself is not damaged. The bud is inserted in the pocket on the stock formed by raising the two flaps of bark. When the bud is in position the flaps may be folded back enclosing the bud.

The next thing is to bind each bud up. For this purpose one may use raffia or wool. If there arc only a few buds to be tied up quarter-inch tape will be found very useful, but, of course, this may prove too expensive where a fair amount of budding has been done. 'J he bud should be tied securely but not too tightly or .else the flow of sap will be stopped or restricted. It is of the utmost importance that this does not occur, for it is essential that the bud be able to obtain sap in order to make a successful union with tho stock. After the bud is tied up it should be smeared with grafting wax or vaseline, this being to prevent the air getting to the bud. The care of the bud after this stage is also important, for up to a certain point the treatment received influences the success of the budding. Each bud should bo looked over about once a fortnight so that the first signs of the uniting of the stock and bud will be noticed. Tho sign consists of a swelling of the bud and when this occurs the binding should be loosened as much as is required, so that it will not prevent the free flow of sap. If the bud appears to be drying up another smearing of wax should be given. , . , Union should take place 111 a fairly short while and (lie bud should develop into a small shoot. Here is another argument in favour of getting the budding done fairly early, for the sooner the bud unites the more will it grow as a shoot ■before the winter.

VITICULTURE.

ALLOWING SECOND CROP. After the main crop of grapes lias matured and ripened the vines will have an excess of sap. They sometimes produce a second crop if allowed to do so. The idea of a second crop is a good one if it is not carried too far and allowed to lie 100 heavy. This sometimes occurs with amateurs and the vines arc asked to mature a heavy second crop so that they more than utilise the surplus sap, and, in fact, use some that should be assisting to ripen the new wood. When deciding to allow a second crop the number of bunches should not bo moro than twenty-five per cent, of the main crop. Now is the time to decide about the matter, so that the routine pinching operations may be modified. Instead of removing all the auxiliary shoots some may lie retained and treated in the same way as laterals are in the early spring. That is, they should be nipped out at the leaf past the second bud.