STARTING DORMANT-BUD PEACH TREES 239 



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 

 in dormant 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, six 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 one 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 (and not with shears, as is 

 often done, as the latter method will sometimes split the tree), when it will take 

 in moisture and not heal readily. 



Some growers do not cut back the young seedling tree until growth 

 has started out well on the dormant bud, girdling the bark above the 

 bud to force its growth. The tender shoot is protected somewhat by 

 the old stem to which it can be tied. The removal of the old stem 

 should not be too long delayed, for the wound by its amputation should 

 heal over the first summer. 



Rather more care is needed in handling dormant buds both in 

 planting and in their young life in the orchard. Lookout must be kept 

 for suckers and against injury in cultivation. Success with dormant 

 buds is notable. In good hands they commonly outgrow yearlings 

 planted at the same time, and the percentage of loss from failure of 

 the bud to start is very small. Of course, every bud should be ex- 

 amined before planting, to see that it has a healthy color. 



In the selection of peach trees for planting, a clean, healthy root 

 only should be taken. During recent years there have been a good 

 many young roots affected with knots or swellings from some obscure 

 cause. Such trees should be burned. If planted, the knot sometimes 

 grows to an enormous size and little or no top growth is made. 



PRUNING THE PEACH 



As has already been stated, the peach will carry a top of great 

 fruiting longevity if the grower will do justice to the tree by regular 

 shortening of the growth and forcing out new wood, upon which alone 

 fruit is found. Not only does regular pruning do this, but it promotes 

 longevity and vigor in the framework of the tree upon which these 

 bearing shoots come. Left unpruned, the peach soon becomes bark- 

 bound, and the bark itself becomes hardened and brittle. Lower shoots 

 are apt to dwindle, and the tree becomes an umbrella of foliage and 

 fruit held aloft by bare branches bark-burned by the sun, invaded by 

 borers, exuding gum, covered with moss and lichens a picture of 

 distress and unprofitability because its owner does not give the tree a 

 chance to re-invigorate itself with large fresh leaves from the new 

 wood which alone can carry them. 



Vase-Form with Continuous Leaders. The common vase form 

 of the peach tree is amply described in Chapter XII, where it is used 



