Summer Meeting. 75 



entirely, leaving only enough of the new growth to include lateral 

 branches enough to insure sufficient bearing wood. Where this pruning 

 was done earlier than this a new growth of wood started, in which case, 

 of course, it was detrimental. The proper time for doing this pruning 

 will depend more or less on the season, and it might be possible that in 

 seasons when there is plenty of rain in the fall it might prove to be 

 detrimental at any time, as it would be more or less likely to induce a 

 second growth. No fixed rule can be established for summer pruning 

 any more than for the amount of cultivation. They should each be gov- 

 erned by the condition of the season. 



Methods have changed very materially since peaches were first 

 planted in this section commercially. At first peach orchards, both young 

 and old, were cultivated like corn, the soil never allowed to settle until at 

 least midsummer. Now a bearing orchard is rarely cultivated after the 

 first of June, and some of our most extensive growers advocate seeding 

 to clover after the orchard comes into bearing. At first a great many 

 varieties were planted that have, on coming into bearing, proved them- 

 selves worthless, not adopted to our conditions, and have been either 

 destroyed and more profitable varieties planted, or in some cases the 

 grower has become discouraged on this account and has abandoned his 

 orchard entirely. This, together with the fact that the general appear- 

 ance is not kept up by continuous cultivation, is responsible for the state- 

 ment sometimes made that peach growing in the Ozarks is a failure. 

 It is a fact, however, that the commercial growers of this section are 

 going right along extending their plantings each year with varieties that 

 have been tested in this locality. While at times it may seem discourag- 

 ing, yet on the whole I do not think the conservative commercial growers 

 have lost money, and firmly believe that reward will come to those who 

 wait. 



DISCUSSION ON PEACHES. 



Mr. Goodman — There are so many problems in the peach business 

 that we hardly know which to take up first. One question is, what is it 

 best to do with the tree injured by the severe winter? Some have not 

 recovered at all, some were not injured and others but slightly. In some 

 locations proper air and soil drainage caused the trees to go into winter in 

 good condition. We are settled on the fact that the high points are best 

 for peaches. Then, too, on a good deep subsoil they will not injure so 

 easily. We get a difiference of condition according to the different loca- 

 tions. In a planting on a bluff which drops abruptly to tlie river we lost 

 no trees, and they are now making a fine growth. On a flat table-land, 

 300 feet higher, but with no slopes or ravines leading off, the trees were 



