THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 57 



tried the peach on clays, loams or shales upon which some of the best orchards 

 in New York are located. 



But this point is made clear ; the peach must have a warm., dry soil to secure 

 the greatest possible hardiness inherent in the species. Only in such a soil 

 can trees make a strong, firm, well matured growth that seems to be con- 

 ducive to hardiness. 



Many growers in both states speak of the desirability of a gravelly subsoil 

 to secure a hardy tree. Such a subsoil seems to be conducive to the warmth 

 and dryness of roots and it is probable that so far as hardiness is concerned 

 it matters little whether this subsoil be overlaid with sand, gravel, loam, 

 clay or combinations of these. 



II. DOES THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN THE SOIL IN WINTER AFFECT THE 



HARDINESS OF THE PEACH? 



The evidence as regards this point is clear. Either extreme of moisture 

 -excessive wetness or excessive dryness — gives favorable conditions for 



winter killing. A wet soil is conducive to sappiness in the tree and also 

 freezes deeply. Severe cold, especially alternating with warm weather 

 or accompanied with dry winds, causes evaporation of water from trees 

 and if the soil be so dry as not to furnish moisture to replace the evaporated 

 water, harmful results ensue. Several experiences were given in Michigan 

 in which trees were injured far more from winter freezes in a dry than in a 

 wet soil. The statement was made by several growers that twigs and buds 

 which are more or less shrivelled in winter from lack of water or lack of 

 maturity are almost invariably winterkilled. 



III. WHAT EFFECT DO FERTILIZERS HAVE ON TREE GROWTH AND HENCE 



ON SUSCEPTIBILITY TO COLD? 



It has alwaj^s been held in theory that fertilizers with any considerable 

 amount of nitrogen, as barnyard manure, cause trees to make a heavy, rank, 

 soft growth susceptible to freezing. The majority of the peach growers 

 consulted in this investigation still hold that such is the case, but a very 

 considerable number of them, and among them some of the best growers 

 in the two states, hold that trees are more likely to suffer from cold if underfed 

 than if overfed. Their experiences indicate that vigorous, vegetable growth 

 in early summer can be made of great service in counteracting cold, and 

 that half starved trees, or those which have been allowed to bear too heavily, 

 are apt to suffer most from freezing. Fertilizers properly used do not, in 

 the experience of these growers, necessarily induce a rank, soft growth. 

 By using properly balanced fertilizers, by stopping cultivation at the right 

 time, and by judicious pruning, it was maintained that the growth could be 

 kept firm, the top of the tree compact, and the branches well set with buds, 

 all conditions favorable to hardiness. Practically all of the growers report 

 that late fall growths are susceptible to winter injury of both wood and bud. 



IV. DO COVER CROPS PROTECT TREES FROM COLD? 



There were no conflicting opinions on this point. Growers who had planted 

 cover crops, and nearly all had, were agreed as to the value of this method 

 of protecting trees from winter freezing. Many individual cases were cited 

 of orchards having cover crops surviving this cold winter or that when 

 nearby orchards without the covering crop holding a muffler of leaves and 



