(Taking scion) I use only one bud. One bud is good as a dozen.
(Cutting-with pruning knife.)
MR. WEBER: How do you cut above the bud that you use above the graft?
MR. BERNATH: If the nodes are far enough apart I put it farther, but I like to put it as short as I can but allow not less than half inch or an inch or more on top, and you cut it away after the union has taken and the growth started. Sometimes some of them may have a growth of two inches before you take them out of the case. They are not uniform. Some of them are way in advance of some of the others. Some of them are tardy, slow.
This is my budding knife, here, which is about 40 years old.
MR. CHASE: The question is asked, this isn't the time of year that you would do this, is it?
MR. BERNATH: No, sir. I start in January. You can continue into April.
You can take a batch out and put another batch in.
MR. RICK: How many weeks, usually, before you graft, after these are put in the case?
MR. BERNATH: I would say that with most of your varieties it's from four to six weeks, with the exception of ornamentals. That will take six to eight, sometimes longer, but nut trees generally come on quickly. I have known them to have two inches of growth, I think, in three weeks. (Sharpening knife.)
A MEMBER: You are like the violinist. You have to tune up first.
MR. BERNATH: Yes, and never forget to wipe your knife. And remember not to put your finger on the fresh cut. (Cutting). Here is the cut before I insert the scion. In cutting your scion wood, now here is the butt. Cut on the inside. When you cut on this side it throws the bud a little bit far out because it's on an angle. You know about the depth of the cut here, and you go like this: (Cutting).