276 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



from the bud. It springs almost at once into a full outfit of lat- 

 erals. Some growers employ this disposition to form a head the 

 first year in the nursery. When the bud has grown out eighteen 

 Cinches, pinch it off at the top and force out laterals, which make 

 long growth the same season. When planted out in orchard the 

 following winter, cut back to ten or twelve inches. In this any 

 one can get a yearling with the equivalent of a two-year-old head 

 on it. The common practice is, however, to 'let the growth from 

 the bud proceed as it chooses, and when the yearling is set in 

 orchard, cut back to a single bud the laterals which are desired 

 to form the head and removing others. If there is a dormant bud 

 on the stem where a branch is desired and it is obstinate in not 

 starting, a cross-cut through the baik just above it may concen- 

 trate pressure and force it out. The development of form from a 

 yearling branched in the nursery is illustrated in chapter on prun- 

 ing. 



Recently preference has arisen for smaller trees for transplant- 

 ing and, especially in the foot-hills, June buds, described in the 

 chapter on propagation, are largely employed. 



Planting Dormant Buds. The chapter on planting describes 

 the planting of yearling trees. The lifting of dormant buds from 

 the home nursery and planting in orchard is described by P. W. 

 Butler, of Placer County, as follows : 



Have the ground prepared and stakes placed in position in the orchard in 

 early February, if possible, and begin the planting at once, whilt 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 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. 



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 out- 

 grow 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 examined before planting, to see that it has 

 a healthy color. 



