56 Peach-Growing 



in the behavior of fruit-trees point strongly to the conclusion 

 that, in part at least, these differences are inherent tree 

 qualities and to the extent that this is true they are doubt- 

 less transmitted to trees propagated from them. While 

 the truth of this with regard to peaches has not been demon- 

 strated it appears to have been proved beyond reasonable 

 doubt with regard to citrus fruits.^ 



This matter has too great potential possibilities to warrant 

 its being ignored when propagating deciduous fruits. To 

 take advantage of it, buds for use in propagating peaches 

 should be selected from trees that bear the best crops of the 

 most desirable fruit of the variety and which produce them 

 with the greatest regularity. 



Details of budding. 



The details of budding are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A 

 single bud is inserted on the seedling stock at a point just 

 above the surface of the ground, and for convenience in 

 cultural operations, the point of insertion is on the same side 

 of all the stocks. If necessary, the small branches that 

 have developed near the ground are stripped off before the 

 actual operations of budding begin. 



As may be seen at "A" in Fig. 1, a vertical slit about 

 1 inch long is made through the bark of the stock and at its 

 upper end a short horizontal cut is also made. "5" in Fig. 

 1 shows the next stage, which is merely A with the bark 

 along the lines of the "T" slightly raised ready to receive 

 the bud. Figure 2 shows a "bud stick." It is the end 



1 Shamel, A. D., "Citrus-Fruit Improvement." Farmers' Bull. 

 794. U. S. Dept. of Agr. Bull. 623, " Citrus Fruit Improvement ; 

 A Study of Bud Variation in the Washington Navel Orange," and 

 Bull. 624, having a similar title but relating to the Valencia orange. 



