176 



NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



a mere point under the bud itself, slip it into place, and 

 tie snugly with a bit of raffia or a strip of cloth. The 

 time to bud is as early as possible in 

 either fall or spring, when the bark 

 "slips" easily. For the peach it is usu- 

 ally done in the fall, because the bud 

 will have become a part of the tree and 

 be ready to begin growth early in the 

 spring. The bud should be set close to 

 the ground on the north side of the tree, 

 and we can test whether it is in proper 

 condition by opening the bark higher up 

 to see whether it slips easily. After a 

 week or so we must loosen the band to 

 prevent girdling our tree, and we shall 

 be surprised to see how 

 much the little trunk 

 has grown in diameter 

 during this short time. 

 The tree, of course, 

 is not dug up to bud, 

 and it stands in the 

 propagation bed where 

 it was planted until the 

 following spring. Ex- 

 amine it at this time to make sure that 

 the bud is alive. If it is, as soon as it 

 begins to shoot cut the tree off a few 

 inches above and rub off all other buds that attempt to 

 dispute the field. Before any growth occurs you may 

 transplant the tree to its permanent place or allow it to 



{[ 



Fig. 72. Rearing 

 A Peach Tree 

 Second year. A, heel ; 

 cJi, cut-off heel in 

 July 



) 



I 



Fig. 73. Rearing a 

 Peach Tree 



Spring of third year. 

 Cut back to a "whip" 



