FRUITS 209 



serted bud. Young, well-cared-for peach trees grow 

 rapidly, so they will be ready to move to the field 

 after one season's growth. Strong-growing seed- 

 lings are sometimes budded in June. After a few 

 days the tops are lopped to force the bud into im- 

 mediate growth, and such June buds often make 

 sufficient growth to be planted the following season. 

 At the South, where there is no hard freezing to 

 heave out the freshly planted trees, planting may be 

 done at any time during late fall, winter, or early 

 spring. The usual distance between trees is about 

 twenty feet each way, although some growers plant 

 them considerably closer. The principal points to 

 secure success in tree planting are, to see that mel- 

 low ground is tramped closely about the roots and 

 that the top is heavily pruned to compensate for 

 the roots that are necessarily lost in transplanting. 

 Care should also be taken not to expose the roots to 

 undue drying by sun and wind. The young or- 

 chard should receive thorough cultivation during the 

 entire summer. In the cotton belt, the land be- 

 tween the trees may be safely planted to cotton for 

 the first two years, since the culture given to this 

 crop is exactly that required by the young orchard. 

 Corn is also sometimes planted in young orchards, 

 but is a less desirable crop than cotton, as it grows 

 tall enough to shade the small trees and draws more 

 heavily on the soil moisture and fertility. On the 

 advent of fall the land should be sown to rye or 

 winter oats to guard against undue washing by the 

 winter rains. These crops must be plowed under in 

 the spring, however, and by no means be allowed to 



