Propagation and Care of Plants 



81 



Caring for trees. A seedling 

 fruit tree may be budded when 

 it is about a year old. It is then 

 left in the nursery until the bud 

 has had a year to grow, when 

 the tree may be higher than a 

 man's head and have many 

 branches. Upon removal to the 

 orchard, it is at once pruned 



Pruning 

 the young 

 tree 



U. S. D. A. 



FIG. 59. Peach trees pruned, ready to 

 plant. 



U. S. D. A. 



FIG. 58. When a bud has 

 grown fast, the stock is gen- 

 erally cut away, just above 

 the bud. 



back (Figs. 59 and 60). 

 The central stem is cut 

 off (headed) about thirty 

 inches above the 

 ground; only four or 

 five of the strongest 

 limbs are left, and even 

 these are usually much 

 shortened. Every cut 

 should be made just 

 beyond a bud, so that 

 no stubs will be left to 



