98 



STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Care should be exercised to avoid hittiug the trunks, of the trees 

 with the harrows, as injuries thus produced are very detrimental to the 

 future of the orchard. 



Thinning. — When the general or as it is sometimes called, "June" drop 

 of the peaches is over so that it is possible to determine which are to 

 be the permanent fruits, it is time to start the work of thinning. This 

 is usually the latter part of June. The varieties should be thinned 

 in the order of their ripening. The main points to be considered in the 

 operation are the characteristics of the variety; and the peculiarities of 

 season. Various rules are sometimes given as to the distance apart 



WINTER INJURY. 



A three year old peach tree Injured by winter freezing. In an exposed part of the 

 orchard where the snow was blown away and the soil froze deeply. Oceana county. 



to leave the fruits, but they should be regarded as very elastic. Varieties 

 that are inclined to bear heavily and that ordinarily produce small fruit 

 must be thinned severely. If a tree has one part full and the other 

 part light, the heavier portion may be thinned less than it would be if 

 the whole tree were full. Trees that are for any reason regarded as 

 "weak" should not be allowed to bear heavily. If a tree has been well 

 pruned, the fruits may be left nearer together upon the twigs than would 

 be permissable with poor pruning. It must be remembered that the 

 production of peach pulp does not draw heavily upon the tree, but 

 it is the formation of pits and seeds that taxes the vitality. Hence, the 



