RK-966

Editor Rural New Yorker

In one of your recent numbers I see a communication from Mr E. Hersey to the "N.E Farmer" on "the time for budding. He gives a very limited period as the proper one and says "a skillful operator will make 75 per cent of[strikethrough] his[strikethrough] of his birds live". - Now that would not do out west.

In this vicinity we commence working apples as soon as the wood is ripe and continue to set buds as long as the bark feels well which is usually till the (latter[underlined] part[underlined]) last of September. A good budder will set about[strikethrough] (apple[underlined] or[underlined] peach[underlined]) 1000 buds per day: and with good stocks and ripe wood we make about 95 per cent live. - We cut the bud thus and never remove the wood though[strikethrough] of[strikethrough] course[strikethrough] some[strikethrough] a[strikethrough] few[strikethrough] more[strikethrough] are[strikethrough] lost[strikethrough] by[strikethrough] accident[strikethrough] or[strikethrough] winter[strikethrough] killing[strikethrough]

For tiering we prefer the inner bark of the bathwood Filia[underlined][strikethrough] americana[underlined][strikethrough] which we prepare by soaking the bark in water for several days when the inner layers seperate in thin sheets which are readily split into the proper width. This has been appropriately called Nurserymans[underlined] ribbon[underlined]. If our stock of bags[underlined] fails we use Russia matting or woolen thrums and sometimes corn husks

For[strikethrough] budding[strikethrough] knives[strikethrough] we[strikethrough] use[strikethrough] any[strikethrough] thin[strikethrough] bladed[strikethrough] knives[strikethrough] which[strikethrough] are[strikethrough] capable[strikethrough] of[strikethrough] holding[strikethrough] will[strikethrough] hold[strikethrough] A thin bladed pocket knife that will hold th[strikethrough] a keen edge makes[strikethrough] the[strikethrough] we[strikethrough] like[strikethrough] best[strikethrough] budding[strikethrough] knife[strikethrough] makes the best budding knife. The flat ivory end is superfluous as we open the edges of the cut with the knife point thereby saving much time.

The bandages are removed as soon as the growth of the tree causes them to cut[underlined] And they are all removed in the fall any way as they greatly injure the tree if allowed to remain all winter

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Editor Rural New Yorker

In one of your recent numbers I see a communication from Mr E Hersey to the N E Farmer on "[strikethrough] the "time for budding" He gives a very limited period for[strikethrough] as the proper time and says "a skillful operator will make 75 per cent of[strikethrough] his[strikethrough] buds[strikethrough] life" Now that would not do out west -

In this vicinity we commence budding apples as soon after the wood is ripe as we choose and continue to set buds as long as the bark peels well (stocks[strikethrough] work[strikethrough] well)[strikethrough] which is usually till well into September. As we bud our peaches the first year after planting we do not commence on them till late in August and but(?) can work them several weeks later than apples. Plums we work in July Pears and Cherries in Aguust.

A good[strikethrough] skillful[strikethrough] budder will set about 1000 apples or peaches per day and with good stocks and ripe wood we make about 95 per cent live though of course a few more are lots by accidnet or winter killing

For tieing we use[strikethrough] prefer the inner bark of the bathwood[?] - Fillia[strikethrough] - Filia[underlined] americana[underlined] which we prepare by soaking the bark in water for several days when the inner layers seperate into thin sheets which are easily[strikethrough] readily cut[strikethrough] and[strikethrough] split into the proper width. - This has app[strikethrough] been appro= =priately called nurserymans[underlined] ribbon[underlined]. If our stock of bags[underlined] fails we use Russia matting and sometimes corn husks. For a budding knife we use any thin bladed knife which will hold a keen edge. The flat ivory end is superfluous as we open the edges lips of the cut with the knife point thereby saving much time. we remove the bandages as soon as the growth of the trees cause them to cut the bark. And we remove them all in the fall any way as they greatly injure the buds if allowed to remain[strikethrough] remain all winter

The Grove Nursery. Ill

R. W. K