_Budding_ is taking off a single bud or eye, called a scion, from one plant, and inserting it in another plant called the stock. This operation is generally performed in July or August. In the first place, a slit is made on each side and above and below a leaf which has a healthy bud in its axil, that is, just between the foot-stalk of the leaf and the branch on which it grows. The bark of the branch containing the bud and the leaf is then detached from the branch, by passing under it the bone handle of the budding-knife, which is made flat and thin on purpose, and raising it gradually up. If the bark has been raised carefully and properly, there will generally be a little bit of wood just under the bud, which must be carefully taken out, so that not the smallest particle of wood is left on the under side of the bark. A long slit is then made in the bark of the stock, with a cross slit at the top, and, the bark being gently raised at each of the corners made by the intersection of the long slit and the horizontal slit, the piece of bark with the bud attached is carefully introduced under the bark of the stock, which is closed over it, and bound tightly with a bit of bast mat, in order that the bark containing the new bud may be pressed as closely to the wood of the stock as possible. If the operation has been properly performed and the bud was a healthy one, it will soon begin to swell; and, when it does so, it will push off the foot-stalk of the old leaf that was taken off with it, so that when this foot-stalk falls it is a sign the bud has taken. When the bud has developed itself into leaves, the ligature should be loosened to allow the branch of the stalk to expand. The operation of budding requires a good deal of nicety: first, to avoid wounding the wood of the stock in slitting the bark; and, secondly, to make the bark of the scion fit quite closely to the wood of the stock, as, if the least vacuity is left between them, the bud will wither instead of beginning to grow.