64 State Horticultural Society. 



the following year bore an average of one bushel of extra fine fruit, 

 and the next year made an average of two bushels per tree. The next 

 year (1902) the fruit buds all being killed, we cut back one-half of the 

 entire top, they made a fine growth and at present have some fine peaches, 

 although most of the buds were killed by severe winter. We notice two 

 large Champion trees in our garden, one of which was cut back, the other 

 was not; the one cut back has quite a number of fine looking peaches, 

 the other but tw^o peaches on entire tree. I have learned from experience, 

 and to my satisfaction that you can not harden the peach buds by any 

 process of starvation, or stunted growth. The fruit buds on weak and 

 feeble growth will almost always be found single on the twigs and al- 

 ways go first in severe winter weather. On the other hand we do not 

 want an overgrowth such as may be produced by high cultivation, manure, 

 and cutting back. The safer rule is to prune and then cultivate early, 

 and thoroughly, so as to keep up a continuous growth all summer. I 

 prefer to have the trees hold their foliage fresh and green well into 

 autumn, rather than check too early, in which case they are liable to cast 

 their leaves, and the buds swell prematurely with the warm weather of 

 autumn and are far more liable to kill. Ahvays clean up all prunings and 

 burn them. If yoii find a diseased tree in your orchard grub it out and 

 burn it at once, you can't afford to take chances on leaving such a tree 

 remain in your orchard. 



Old age of the peach, may be any where from fifteen to thirty years, 

 in general twenty years will cover the profitable age of our commercial 

 peach orchards. Plum, Cherry and Pear, prune much as you would the 

 apple, cut out all weak and sickly branches, all water sprouts, and dead 

 twigs, keep the top uniform and symmetrical. 



PLANTING AND GROWING AN ORCHARD — DISCUSSION. 



W. H. Benedict.— I believe I would plant yearling trees. I would 

 plant them farther apart and keep them sprayed from youth up and not 

 allow these fungi to gain a foothold. I would be more careful in selecting 

 land. T would avoid planting Missouri Pippin so largely. Of course 

 our orchard has been unprofitable until the last three years. This year 

 will not be so good, but the last two years has been a wonderful improve- 

 ment. It looks much better and I have hopes of it bringing good financial 

 leturns some day. 



D. A. Robnett.— I put all the trees in the mixture before planting, 

 and if there is anything in the way of fungi on them it is cleaned off. I 

 then wash the roots in concentrated lye, cutting off the diseased parts, 

 if any, then heel them in the ground. 



