yd State Horticultural Society. 



badly injured, and the growth is not good since the pruning. A third 

 planting was in a dry valley, and the trees were not so badly injured 

 because the soil is richer, so that the trees went into winter quarters in 

 better condition. In all very favorable locations 20 degrees may not hurt 

 the crop. I am satisfied that peaches may lose in hardiness by continual 

 propagation year after year, if continued too long. Even if the buds are 

 from seedlings that are hardy, the tree may lose in vitality, and so in 

 hardiness and individuality by long continued propagation. We ought 

 to recognize this with new varieties. How far the point can be carried 

 we do not know, but it needs to be considered. If peach trees are hurt by 

 the winter it is certain that they need to cut back. Failures have oc- 

 curred in this line because the directions have been misunderstood and 

 not closely followed. Many who trimmed back severely in the spring 

 find trees are making a big growth and large tufts of bunches of shoots 

 start from the cut end, but only in exceptional cases will it pay to thin 

 this out, for the peach generally thins itself sufficiently. The trees are not 

 one-quarter through growing this season yet and some will be smothered 

 out, and some one will take the lead and grow five or seven feet and will 

 set fruit buds for next year. Some growers have written that the trees 

 did not start, but since then they have begun to grow and will keep it up. 

 No one need be frightened, for most of the trees will make a fair growth 

 from now on to fall. We had the same experience after the cold time a 

 few years ago, and those cut back properly made a fine growth. This 

 is the best way to get a renewal. It is all right to thin out some now 

 and get ready to have a crop next year. Take off some of the top 

 now to make the tree even and give the young shoots a chance. 



A. H. Gilkeson — I think I made a mistake by not cutting back 

 severely. 



Mr. Goodman — You will have beautiful trees in your orchard ; they 

 are pruned all right. 



Mr. Pontius — One time in Kansas I cut back half of the injured 

 wood on part of the orchard, and the rest I cut into the healthy wood ; 

 these did not grow as much, but they did not winter-kill, while the other, 

 which cut early, killed back from one to three feet. 



Mr. Tippin — I know of seedlings that have a fair crop this year, 

 which has been a hard one. The Salway is a seedling and has been long 

 propagated, and yet is very hardy. The Champion also is hardy at 11 

 degrees, but 22 was too much for it. Elberta was killed at six and eight 

 below zero. I believe we can have hardy trees. The budding of peaches 

 seems to weaken the vitality. Will the budded tree be as hardy as the 

 seedling? A seedling that will come true to seed is more hardy than 

 a budded variety. 



