58 



Peach-Growing 



is used for this purpose. The twine is cut into pieces about 

 10 inches long and carried in small bundles of convenient 

 size attached to the person of the budder. 

 Tying consists in winding the string closely, 

 but not tight enough actually to girdle, 

 about the part of the stock containing 

 the bud, passing it around usually three 

 or four times both above and below the 

 bud. This binds the parts together 

 firmly and holds the bud in perfect 

 contact with the tissue of the stock im- 

 mediately beneath the bud. Without this 

 close contact the bud and stock would 

 not unite. 



Tying is done from the lower part of 

 the bud upward. It is accomplished by 

 passing the second turn over the free end 

 of the string, and continuing until the 

 parts of the wound are all brought closely 

 into position. The finish is similar to 

 the beginning in that the end is passed 

 under the last turn of the string about 

 the stock and drawn down tightly. Thus 

 both ends of the string are made fast 

 without the necessity of tying any knots. 

 In commercial operations, the budder 

 cuts the matrix and handles the buds, 

 putting them in position in the stocks; 

 a helper, commonly a boy, does the tying. 

 If it is necessary to remove the lower leaves or small limbs 

 on the stocks in order to expedite the budding, it should 

 not be done more than a day or two in advance, since it 



Fig. 2. — A "bud- 

 stick " showing man- 

 ner of removing 

 buds. 



