‘8 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION Service [Cre 42 
The Almond Root—The almond roots deep and for this reason it 
has been used as a rootstock in the drier soils. This supposed advan- 
tage over the peach is probably over-emphasized and at present almost 
no almonds are used by nurserymen as a rootstock for the peach. The 
nnion with the peach is good but the almond root is very susceptible 
to crown gall, and also to the attacks of the peach root-borer and oak 
root fungus. 
Budding.®—Seedling peaches are usually budded in July or 
August. In times of scarcity, the ‘June bud’ is also used but the 
resulting nursery trees are generally smaller. Buyers usually object 
to this small size and for this reason June budding is seldom practiced. 
Sometimes ‘dormant buds’ are planted in the orchard the winter or 
spring following budding, before the buds begin growth. This prae- 
tice, however, is expensive and the stand is seldom as good as with 
June buds or one-year-old trees. 
Grades of Nursery Trees—When purchasing trees the grower 
should know something of the different sizes of trees offered for sale. 
Most nurseries grade trees according to diameter but list them in the 
catalogues as 4 to 6 feet; 3 to 4 feet; and 2 to 3 feet. Size, however, is 
not the only consideration. The tree should be healthy, must not have 
been stunted in its growth, should preferably be of medium size, from 
B to 5 feet high, calipering about 14 inch in diameter just above the 
bud, and should not be over one year old. 
When the order is large a visit to the nursery is desirable. Other 
-hings being equal, preference should be given to the nearest nurseries 
because the trees will be subject to the shortest shipment. Long ship- 
ments are expensive, and the trees may suffer from drying out. 
Care of Nursery Trees—Trees should be ordered early enough to 
insure delivery where possible by January. Unless they are to be 
planted at once they should be unpacked and carefully heeled-in, in 
moist but well-drained soil, until they are planted. Heeling-in is done 
by placing the trees in a shallow trench, side by side about the same 
depth as they stood in the nursery. Loose moist soil is then sifted 
between the roots and the trench filled. The soil should be firmly 
pressed about the roots, using eare not to injure them. 
Topworking Old Trees—In some cases the fruit grower may wish 
to topwork other fruit trees to peaches or to topwork his peach trees to 
more suitable varieties, rather than to plant nursery trees. This is 
rarely advisable if the trees are much over eight years of age, if they 
are too closely planted, or if they are not healthy. 
5 Stahl, J. L. Propagation of deciduous fruits. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Cir. 
204 : 1-24. 1925.