Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1875 — Budding. [ARTICLE]

Budding.

Almost all intelligent farmers know how to graft, and large numbers employ- that knowledge in springtime to put a good head on a wild tree or to change the character of one to something more desirable. But Gie spring is generally crowded with work. Few get done what they desired and intended to do; and among the put-off things very likely of all others will be the grafting job. Something of this can be made up at this season by- budding or inoculation, as it is sometimes called. It does not find the same favor with farmers as it does with nursery-men, because no time seems to be gained over grafting six months hence; for the buds put in now do not push into growth till the next spring season. If grafts are put in next y-ear they grow immediately and make, stronger growths and form a good head much sooner than buds put in at this season will. But then there is the question of time. If one waits tor spring it may never be done. This is comparatively a leisure season, and a tree budded now is done with. It will keep on growing and will' certainly beat the tree that never is done! Budding is so simple an operation and has been over and over again described in the papers and most persons who are likely to be benefited by this article know how it is done. A piece of bark containing a leaf-stalk and the eye at its base is simply put under the bark of the stock to be improved, and which has been slit and “ lifted” or loosened by the back of a knife for the purpose. After insertion the bud is tied firmly in. Anyone can understand this, and only experiment will teach more*. But there is one thing which all hudders do not understand, and we will explain why even some good hands fail in their work. The branch on which the bud is to go must be thrifty, vigorous and in every way healthy, or the buds will n#t “take.” Failure in most cases comes from this. It does not make much difference whether the branch to be operated on is more than one year old, so that the bark separates freely from the wood—as the budders say-, “runs freely”—but it is essential that it should be in perfect health. The bark generally loosens freely at the end of summer, if in the condition we have described. In regard to the bud it must not be too young. Failure generally comes from this. There is far less chance of failure with very old buds than with young ones, though of course all the buds must be of this season’s growth. It is hardly necessary to say that in budding, as in grafting, like must be suited to like, and the nearer ths bud is like its stock the better will be its success. It is not often that plants of two dissimilar families will grow together. The pear will grow on the quince, but this is rather an exception. So closely allied things as the apple and the pear will not do very well, and only at all with difficulty.—Germantown Telegraph.

—A few days since a freight-train, when between Elko and Carlin, Nev., was brought to a stand-still by a Chinaman with a red flag. An examination showed that the heat from the sun had so expanded the rails at that point as to force several of them from their position. The long spikes by which they were secured in position* were drawn out of the ties, and it was found necessary to cut several inches from their length in order to get them back in place. The peculiar break was discovered just in time to prevent what might have proved a serious accident —Joaquin Miller is said to have received his name somewhat as follows: His name was John, but when he was a small boy he was always telling the other boys some monstrous story under the pretense of telling the truth, and they’d reply: “ Oh, you’re joking. Miller,” until at last he was known by the name of ‘‘Joking. Miller.” Afterward, when the improba ble stories began to attract a little notice in the papers, he tried to be high-toned, and Latinized his nickname into Joaquin. ftV