TJie Propagation of Orchard Trees 177 



Propagation of the Peach 



Peach trees are almost universally budded. The pits 

 from which stocks are grown should be collected as soon 

 as possible after the fruit is ripe, so that they may not dry 

 out. They may be planted in the nursery row at once, 

 or they may be kept in bulk in any place where they will 

 not become dry and where they will be exposed to the 

 action of frost. This treatment will result in cracking 

 most of the pits; those that are not cracked at the open- 

 ing of spring must be cracked by hand if prompt germina- 

 tion is desired; otherwise some of them may lie dormant 

 until the following spring. 



If the seedlings do well, most of them will be large 

 enough for budding the August succeeding sowing, when 

 they are handled the same as apple trees. The seedlings 

 that are too small for budding the first season may be 

 cut back to the ground the following spring, and thus 

 a vigorous growth may be secured. 



June-budded peach trees are usually produced in the 

 South, where seedlings of a size to admit of budding are 

 secured by June of the year in which the seed germinates. 

 As soon as the buds have " taken," a part of the top is 

 removed, and after they have made a vigorous start, the 

 top is entirely removed. Salable trees are produced by 

 this method in one season. When well grown, there is no 

 objection to a June bud, but unless the season is very long, 

 there is always the danger of the tops being immature 

 when cold weather comes on. 



Peaches may be worked on plum seedlings, but this is 

 unusual. In those cases in which numerous sprouts occur 



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