Details of Planting an Orchard 95 



While in the experimental work many of the trees with stub- 

 pruned roots made good trees, one station in the South re- 

 porting that neither increase nor decrease of vigor could be 

 detected as a result of the practice, the weight of evidence is 

 in favor of leaving the roots at least 3 inches long and from 

 that up to 6 or 8 inches, unless previous experience in a given 

 locality and under known conditions has produced evidence 

 that the close stub-pruning is satisfactory. 



Another departure from the usual course is in the planting 

 of "dormant buds.'' This method is sometimes used in Cali- 

 fornia; rarely, if ever, elsewhere in this country. The 

 details of handling dormant buds as described by P. W. 

 Butler of Placer County, California, and quoted by Wickson^ 

 are as follows : " Have the ground prepared and stakes placed 

 in position in the orchard in early February, if possible, and 

 begin the planting at once, while the trees are dormant in the 

 bud. Take no more trees from the nursery than can be 

 planted in half a day. Plow a furrow on each side of the 

 row, 6 inches from the trees, turning the soil from them, then 

 two men with heavy spades or shovels, one on each side of 

 the tree, can readily take it up without breaking many of the 

 roots ; and what are so broken should be smoothly trimmed 

 with a sharp knife. Place the trees in a tub of water, near 

 where they are to be planted, and take them from it only a 

 few at a time. Put them in a basket or box and cover with 

 wet sack, that they may be kept moist until placed in the 

 ground. 



" On planting, place the bud 1 inch below the level of the 

 ground but do not cover it until after it has grown to the 

 height of a few inches. The stock should be cut off at the 

 bud with a thin, sharp knife (not w^ith shears, as is often done, 



1 Wickson, E. J., " CaUfornia Fruits." (Seventh ed., 1914), p. 239. 



