PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



Alton-Southern Illinois Horticultural Society. 



REPOKTED BY F. C RIEHL, SECRETARY. 



MARCH MEETING. 



The Alton-Southern Illinois Horticultural Society met at the 

 office of S. F. Connor, on Saturday, March 10th. Despite the bad 

 weather, a good many members were present. The Society was 

 called to order by President J. S. Browne. 



ORCHARDS. 



E. A. Riehl — There is not much to be said on orchards at this 

 time ; they are all in good condition, peaches included. I think I 

 have enough live buds on my place to give a fair crop of peaches in 

 most varieties. As this is the time for pruning, I will give my 

 method : The trees should not be allowed to grow as they please. 

 Keep the trees low, so that a man ou the top of an eight-foot ladder 

 can pick all the fruit. Cut out the top and centre branches, so that 

 the sun can get well into the centre of the tree. This will cause 

 young branches to grow out all along the body and main limbs of 

 the tree, and these, when they are not expected to fruit, should be 

 clipped off to within one inch of the stem. For every one of these 

 twigs cut off, from two to six more will grow out. Thus you will 

 have a fine lot of fruit-growing branches all along the inside of the 

 tree. A tree thus pruned can bear up all the fruit that will grow 

 on it, it will bear more, and the fruit will be of the first quality. 

 Herein, I believe, lies the secret of growing fine peaches. 



H. G. McPike — Do you ever prune after the trees are in bloom? 



