Smmner Meeting:. 67 



•^is 



Prepare for planting- much the same way as for the apple, plantinaf 

 the trees in spring one rod apart each way. If special care is taken, 

 two-year-old trees can be used, but the best are one year, medium size, 

 four feet high. 



Tfhe peach requires very severe pruning. The first year cut off 

 all branches, leaving only one bud at the base of each branch and head 

 the trees back to about two and one-half feet. The second and third 

 years prune to a round or oval shape and every year after cut out one- 

 fourth to one-fifth of the wood. 



Thin the fruit the same as the apple and begin picking as soon 

 as the peaches part readily from the stem. It may be necessary to 

 make three to five pickings during the season. Pack the fruit care- 

 fully, putting the fancy grades into crates containing four or six 

 baskets. Number ones are packed in one-third bushel boxes and the 

 soft grades into one-fourth bushel baskets. 



The three most profitable and most extensively grown varieties 

 in Missouri are Elberta, Champion and Crosby. 



While there are a number of fungus diseases on the peach, the 

 serious one in this State is the peach rot, for which the trees should 

 be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. Among the troublesome insects 

 is the borer, which should be given the same treatment as that of the 

 apple. 



PEAR CULTURE. 



The origin of the pear is unknown. It is a quick grower, fruits 

 early and is free from the attacks of insects.. The only draw-back to 

 its culture is its susceptibility to blight. Pears have been divided into 

 three classes; namely. Standard, Half Standard and Dwarf. 



The Standard varieties should be budded or grafted on pear stock, 

 and the trees may be planted in poor soil so long as it is well drained. 

 Crown grafting is probably practiced more than budding. Plant two- 

 year-old trees one rod apart each way. Keep the trees headed low, 

 pruning the first year, but after that removing- only blighted portions. 

 Keep the sprouts on the trunk spurred back. After three years of 

 cultivation, seed the orchard to grass. A nurse tree is often planted 

 one foot away to the south to rob the pear tree of the soil fertility and 

 otherwise to check its growth, to reduce the liability to blight. 



The Half Standards are budded on the apple or quince. When 

 planting, set them so that the bud will be just below the ground. 



Dwarf varieties are grafted or budded on the Anglers quince 

 stock. As the quince has a habit of rooting near the surface, a rich 

 loam is the best soil ; just the opposite condition from that required 



