92 Peach-Growing 



it is cut back. The obvious suggestion is that in planting 

 peach trees the grower should treat each tree with some re- 

 gard to its individual qualities and characteristics rather than 

 by any arbitrary rule. 



Sometimes after the roots are trimmed and before the trees 

 are planted, there is danger of their becoming too dry, es- 

 pecially the smaller roots. This danger can be largely elimi- 

 nated by puddling them. This consists in dipping the roots 

 in a puddle of clay which should be of such consistency that 

 a thin layer of mud will adhere to them. Such a coating 

 of mud will afford considerable protection against undue 

 drying out from unavoidable exposure to the sun and wind. 

 Every possible precaution, however, should be taken to pre- 

 vent exposure. Sometimes a large piece of burlap, kept well 

 moistened, is convenient to throw over the roots of trees that 

 are awaiting planting. 



However, in large scale operations it is a good practice to 

 haul the trees to the site where the planting is to be done with 

 the roots packed in moist straw in the body of a wagon, and 

 then to distribute them not much faster than they are planted. 



The manner of staking out a site for making the holes has 

 been discussed in a previous section. The tall guide stakes 

 there described should remain in position until the trees are 

 planted. The present course of procedure presupposes that 

 the holes for the trees have already been dug. 



In planting the trees, four men make a good crew. One 

 goes ahead, distributes the trees and prunes them ready for 

 planting. (The pruning of the tops can be deferred till later 

 if need be.) Another man places the tree in the hole, aligns 

 it in one direction by sighting over the guide stakes, or over 

 trees already planted, after the work has made some progress. 

 One of the other men aligns the tree in a similar manner by 



