276 STONE FRUITS 



escaped from cultivation at an earlier date. In parts of Asia 

 and Persia apparently wild trees have been observed. Persia 

 has for some time been regarded as the source from which 

 this fruit came, but it appeared in Greece soon after the 

 beginning of the Christian era. There is some question of 

 doubt in the minds of many as to whether Persia is the 

 original home of the peach or whether it came first from China. 

 De Condolle is of the opinion that China is the original home 

 of the peach and not Persia, as is generally thought. 



The first records of the peach in this country seem to date 

 back to 1565, when the Spaniards are said to have planted 

 peach pits at St. Augustine, Florida. There is very little 

 doubt but that the earliest settlers in this country brought 

 pits and cuttings of the fruit they were familiar with in their 

 home countries and that the peach was among these plants 

 imported. 



Propagation. — The peach is propagated exclusively by 

 budding. The seeds or pits are collected and generally 

 planted in the fall in rows from 3 to 4 feet apart where the 

 seedlings are to be grown. In some sections where the 

 weather is very cold the pits are stratified and the kernels 

 planted in the spring. In dry climates it is important that 

 the pits are not permitted to dry out. 



When the seedlings have reached the proper size they are 

 budded. Usually the seedlings are large enough for budding 

 by midsummer and the budding is done largely in July, 

 August and early September. The shield bud is the form 

 most often employed and the bud is inserted 2 or 3 inches 

 above the surface of the ground. As soon as the bud grows 

 fast to the stock it is a common practice to break over the 

 tops of the seedling stocks by cutting them nearly off just 

 above the point where the bud is inserted. The top can 

 either be removed later in the fall or allowed to remain 

 attached until the following spring. In some cases the top is 

 cut off in the spring without being previously broken over. 



A limited amount of budding is sometimes done in June. 

 This is known as June budding, and is only possible in the 

 southern sections, where the plant has the advantage of a 

 longer growing season. Trees that are June budded are 

 ready for planting the following fall. 



