Propagation of Peach Trees 



57 



of a limb which grew the current season and from which the 

 leaves have been cut with a small portion of the stem — 

 about ^ inch — being left on each one to serve as a handle 

 when the bud is removed from the "stick." As shown in 

 the figure, removal of a bud is effected by cutting upward, 

 beginning at a point J inch or so below the bud and extending 

 about the same distance above, and deep enough so that a 



Fig. 1. — Details of budding. 



very thin shield of w^ood just beneath the bud is removed 

 with it. This small piece of wood is sometimes, though not 

 usually, removed before the bud is inserted as shown in 

 "C," Fig. 1. Ordinarily each bud is cut from the stick 

 as the budder is ready to slip it into the "matrix," as the 

 cut is sometimes called. Or the buds may be partially cut 

 before, and the removal completed at the time of insertion. 

 The bud, with its shield of bark, is slipped entirely into the 

 matrix. The next and final step is tying. This is shown 

 in "D," Fig. 1. A piece of cotton twine (about No. 18) 



