58 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



snow were killed. The peach growers in the two regions consider the cover 

 crop the most effective treatment of their orchards to avoid winter killing, 

 holding that they protect the roots from cold, cause the trees to ripen their 

 wood quickly and thoroughly, and to assist in regulating the supply of 

 moisture. 



V. ARE SEEDLING TREES HARDIER THAN BUDDED VARIETIES? 



Seedling peach trees are popularly supposed to be hardier than budded 

 varieties. Most of the correspondents in this investigation state that such 

 is the case but none give reasons for the supposed greater hardiness of the 

 seedlings. The statements made are in no way convincing and the greater 

 hardiness of the seedlings can be proved only by carefully conducted ex- 

 periments. Two hypotheses should be tested in determining whether there is 

 a difference in hardiness between budded and seedUng trees : Lst. Budding 

 may decrease hardiness. 2nd. Seeds for the stocks of the budded trees come 

 from the south and these may produce more tender trees than would north- 

 €rn grown seeds from which seedlings come. 



VI. IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN HARDINESS BETWEEN LOW-HEADED AND 



HIGH-HEADED TREES? 



All growers in both states prefer low-headed trees claiming that both 

 trunks and branches are more often injured in high-headed trees. Buds, 

 however, often survive on the higher branches and not on the lower ones. 

 The reasons vouchsafed for the difference are : The effects of winds in drying 

 out the wood of high-headed trees ; low-headed trees are usually most vigorous; 

 and lastly, better protection to the trunk from the sun and hence from sun- 

 scald, one of the effects of freezing and thawing. Attention is called by 

 several growers to the fact that buds on high-headed trees usually suffer 

 less from spring frosts. 



VII. ARE WINDBREAKS A PROTECTION TO TREES OR TO BUDS? 



There was much difference of opinion. From the experiences given it 

 seems that the value of a windbreak depends largely upon the topography 

 of the land. A windbreak so situated as to form still air can only ])e detri- 

 mental so far as cold is concerned. So planted as to deflect or cause air 

 ■currents they become of value in keeping off frosts. More often than not, 

 however, it was claimed, they seriously check atmospheric drainage and 

 the damage by frost is increased. Another disadvantage is, should the 

 windbreak be to the north, the buds on the trees thus sheltered are forced 

 and are therefore more liable to injury by late frosts. The testimony was 

 for most part unfavorable to windbreaks. 



VIII. ■WHAT DEGREE OF COLD WILL KILL PEACH TREES? 



There was a most surprising uniformity in the answers to this question. 

 Nearly all of the correspondents set 20° below zero as the temperature that 

 will kill the peach tree under normal conditions though some had known 

 them to withstand temperatures of from 20° to 30° depending upon the 

 ■condition in which the trees went into winter. The following are the con- 

 ditions unfavorable to withstanding cold and about in order of the frequency 

 in which they are mentioned: Lack of maturity of wood; lack of protec- 



