Budding 267 



While June budded trees are usually smaller than those 

 budded in late summer, one year's time has been saved, 

 which is often a matter of great importance to the grower, 

 whether he is growing them for his own use or to sell. 



For summer budding, which is the most common prac- 

 tice, the buds should be inserted about the last week in 

 August or first week in September. In general the bud- 

 ding should JL>Q done at the time when the bark will peel 

 the best. When the work is ready to be done the buds are 

 to be selected from the desired varieties. Buds are always 

 procured from the young branches that have grown the 

 same season the budding is done. On these young 

 branches there will always be a few inches toward the tip 

 which is soft and immature, and therefore this part should 

 be cut away. Peach tree twigs contain both flower buds 

 and leaf buds. If flower buds only were present and were 

 used for budding, they would do nothing but blossom and 

 die, while the leaf buds (also called wood buds) will grow 

 and make a top to the tree. The best wood buds are found 

 towards the middle of the twig. 



The wood buds may be distinguished from the flower 

 buds (also called fruit buds) by remembering that they are 

 smaller, flatter and never so plump. A fruit bud can do no 

 particular harm if there is also a wood bud. It is desir- 

 able to remember this as a wood bud will frequently have 

 a fruit bud on either side of it. When this is the case the 

 outside buds may be broken off, as they are of no use. 

 Where there is only one bud at the base of the leaf, it is 

 usually a wood bud, and where there are two or three in 

 a row across the twig, it is almost certain that the middle 

 one is a wood bud and the outside ones are fruit buds. 

 After a little observation and practice it will not be hard to 

 distinguish between the two kinds, and to select the proper 

 one to use. 



The weather is usually very warm at budding time, so 

 it will be necessary to wrap the twigs from which the 

 buds are to be taken in wet paper or a damp cloth to pre- 

 vent their drying out. As soon as a twig is cut from the 

 tree, trim off the leaves, leaving a piece of the stem about 



