206 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



on the upright-growing trees, such as the cherry, prune, or pear, and to an 

 inside bud on the spreading trees, such as the peach and apricot. 



At the third year's pruning, cut back one half to two thirds, and even 

 more if necessary to build up your tree. 



The fourth year will not vary much from this, although you will now be 

 getting fruit, and this will modify your rule somewhat. 



Take the Bartlett pear for illustration; you must cut back heavily or it 

 will overbear. It must be pruned systematically and thoroughly every 

 year. The tree must be made stocky and strong, and not be allowed to run 

 up into the sky, as is its tendency. Prune to make a well shaped head 

 and strong body, and not for fruit, until you get a tree. 



As I write more to guide planters who are starting, I need not now 

 undertake to lead you through the years to come; you will have learned 

 by observation of well pruned orchards what to do as your orchard grows 

 older. Start right and you will have a year at least to learn, and, indeed, 

 the second year will not bring complications if you follow the simple direc- 

 tions given. After that you don't deserve success if you have not learned 

 what to do. Our pruning is done in the winter months, and generally 

 before February. 



Now that we have seen how to prepare our ground; how to prune our 

 young trees, and cultivate to make them grow, and generally what trees to 

 plant, we are to inquire more particularly as to varieties, their requirements 

 of soil, and commercial value as producers. 



PEACHES, APRICOTS, PRUNES. 



I am myself planting chiefly of the varieties above named. When I 

 first came to this valley (the Sacramento) eleven years ago, the general 

 belief was that peaches would not do well here, and quite recently it was 

 thought they would not pay (even after it became known we could raise 

 the best peach in the world) because peaches were grown in the East. The 

 fact is apt to be overlooked that we have over sixty million people in the 

 United States to feed, and that they are increasing rapidly, while the area 

 in the East where peaches can be successfully raised is quite limited; that 

 our peaches come into market much earlier than theirs; that the supply 

 East gives but small surplus for drying; that dried peaches are almost a 

 prime necessity in domestic life; that abroad peaches are little known and 

 only as a luxury; that the universal prosperity of our people makes it pos- 

 sible for them to indulge in the purchase of such fruits as can be fur- 

 nished at reasonable prices. The peach in California is already an 

 important factor in our fruit trade. It is easily handled, either as green 

 fruit or in drying or canning. Trees four years old, of proper varieties, 

 will yield from $1 to $5 per tree in value, and often a good return at three 

 years old. Ten acres of good peach trees in full bearing will bring in more 

 net revenue than the best one hundred acres in wheat, with much less 

 labor. We make the mistake generally of not discriminating as to varie- 

 ties and by having too many varieties. Select only a few kinds, and the 

 best for canning and drying, and you may rely on good returns every year. 

 Don't pick your peaches like the Chinamen generally do, by knocking 

 them off the trees on to the loose ground, green and ripe together, and 

 gather them up covered with dust. I saw basket after basket of peaches 

 at Vina this year being shipped to San Francisco, whose color you couldn't 

 tell without brushing off the dirt, and yet canners paid 1^ cents and 2 

 cents a pound at the cars. The Vina dried peaches would have brought 



