302 Appendix. 



to interest the fruit growers of the Northwest in the dessert prune and lay 

 before them cured samples of the Sugar prune, French prune, and Claiac 

 Mammoth, so they could have an idea as to their comparative merits to eat out 

 of hand. AH of these were cured by the same process and none were dipped 

 either in lye water, glycerine or glucose, but simply in clear boiling water. 

 I would advise the members of the convention to sample first the Sugar prune ; 

 then the Clairac Mammoth, and last the French, and let them give their verdict 

 in favor of the one they think the best. I would remark here that the prunes I 

 send are in the condition required from the growers and that the packers have 

 to od their share in properly packing them in glass .jars, tins or canisters. 



The attention of our prune growers has already been called to the propriety 

 of pitting prunes prior to curing them, an operation growing more and more 

 in favor ; so I myself tried to pit these three different varieties of prunes, but 

 failed entirely with the French and Sugar, but succeeded completely with the 

 Clairac Mammoth. I found the Sugar prune to be a regular cling, which is to 

 be regretted, for it is a very large prune, with an enormous pit. The French 

 prune is also too much of a cling, while the Clairac Mammoth, by opening it 

 with a sharp knife right at the suture, can be pitted very easily, so you will 

 find the samples of Clairac all pitted. 



I find through samples of cured French prunes sent to me from Oregon 

 that it grows of about the same size in the Northwest as it does in California, 

 and that, the'refore. you are able to prepare the larger grades of the French 

 prune in the way I suggest as prunes to eat out of hand, for dessert prunes 

 should have size as well as being perfect in all other respects. 



PRUNING. 



By Wilbur K. Newell, Commissioner Oregon State Board of Horticulture. Dilley. 

 Reac before the Northwest Fruit Growers' Meeting, Portland. January, 1904. 



You are. of course, all familiar with the old saying. "Prune when your 

 knife is sharp," which is good advice as far as it goes, for you should never 

 attempt to prune when your knife is not sharp ; but this is hardly enough of 

 itself ; it is sometimes necessary to sharpen up one's wits also to know clearly 

 what object one expects to attain in pruning. 



Of course there can be no explicit law laid down on such a subject ; indi- 

 vidual needs must govern ; but a few general principles should be better under- 

 stood. So far as my experience goes in attending such meetings as this, the 

 subject of pruning has rarely been discussed at all. and my object in writing 

 this short paper is to bring the matter up for discussion, not to air what little 

 I may know on the subject. 



To judge by the appearance of some of my trees, one would be justified 

 in thinking I had best keep still, but then it is only by experience that we 

 learn, and those trees should be labeled experiments. L. H. Bailey says : "Rea- 

 sons for pruning may be ranged under eight general heads: (1) To modify the 

 vigor of the plant; (2) to produce larger or better fruits or flowers; (3) to keep 

 the plant within manageable shape and lim.ts ; (4) to change the habit of the 

 plant from more or less wood bearing or fruit bearing; (5) to remove superfluous 

 or injured parts; (6) to facilitate spraying and harvesting; (7) to facilitate 

 tillage and to improve the convenience of the plantation; (8) to train the plant 

 to some desired form." But I believe that it may all be summed up by saying 

 that the prime object in pruning is to keep at all times, as nearly as may be, a 



