TOP-WORKING FRUIT TREES 
13 
buds begin to push into new growth they will require about the same 
care as young grafts. They will need some pinching back to strengthen 
the stem and to overcome the tendency to become top-heavy. With 
the possible exception of young trees budded in late spring, all growth 
from the original stock should be removed as fast as it appears. 
Buds may be set during the month of June or early July, or in 
August and September. For June budding the bud-sticks are cut as 
soon as well matured wood may be found. Good firm wood with 
well developed buds may generally be cut from bearing trees in the 
latter part of June. As soon as buds set in June or July unite with 
the stock, the bandage is cut and the part of the stock above the bud 
is removed. In spring-budding it is well to leave some of the new 
growth which springs from the arms below the bud. This takes 
the surplus sap and helps nourish the roots until the buds are well 
started. Wood from buds set in the spring may not mature well 
in our climate and is susceptable to winter injury during severe 
winters. With careful watering it is possible to mature the wood 
properly, but where practical, fall budding should be given the pref¬ 
erence. In the case of peach trees, June budding is preferred where 
attacks of twig borers often destroy in early spring, buds set the 
previous fall. In the apple and pear it is probably more convenient 
to bud in the fall. Then, too, arms which are large enough to bud 
in early spring were large enough the previous September, so one 
really gains rather than loses time by budding in the fall. 
In fall budding the buds are taken from the current year’s growth. 
Buds may be inserted in wood of one, two or three years’ growth. 
The stiffness of the bark of the other wood makes budding difficult. 
The heavy bark not only makes the insertion of the 
bud difficult, but in drying out it curls away from 
the bud exposing it to the air. The simplest form 
of budding is that known as Shield-budding or T- 
budding. The position for the bud is chosen with 
reference to the prevailing wind, protection from 
the sun’s rays, or to best form the top of the tree. 
The most important factor should determine where 
the bud should be placed. It is well to place the 
bud on the shady side of the stock, if possible. 
Should the locality be subject to strong prevailing 
winds, the bud should stand more wind if placed on 
the side of the stock toward the wind. A T-shaped 
incision is made in the bark and the corners of the 
bark below the transverse cut raised to facilitate 
starting the bud. The bud is then cut from the 
bud-stick by starting the knife half an inch below 
the bud, cutting under and to about the same dis¬ 
tance above the bud. This gives a long bud which 
is especially desirable in our dry climate. In cut¬ 
ting under the bud, the knife should be run deep 
enough to leave a small shield of wood. Fig. 7 
will show the various steps in the process of shield- 
