The Bulletin 45 



general coukelations and rec0m^^endati0n8 



Climate influences to a large dep^rec the cultural practices employed 

 by orcliardists. Climatic conditions often determine the success or 

 failure of the peach croj). In the northern States one of the funda- 

 mental principles of successful peach orchard management consists in 

 having growth cease and the wood thovoughly matured and ripened 

 in the fall, so that it will not be injured by critical temperatures in 

 winter. All the cultural practices arc regulated with this principle in 

 mind. Tillage is di.scontinued in midseason, nitrogenous fertilizers are 

 supplied in an amount that will not cause late growth, and cover crops 

 are employed to hasten the ripening of the trees. The weather during 

 winter is uniformly cold, with uo Avarm spells to cause fruit buds to 

 swell until spring, when it becomes warm enough to start the buds, and 

 then there is little danger from low temperature or freezes. Therefore 

 the principal idea of management consists in handling the orchard in 

 such a manner as to have the trees fully mature and dormant by winter. 



Tn the South altogether diiTerent climatic conditions afford a differ- 

 ent source of danger to the peach crop. Here, instead of continuous 

 low temperature without enough warm days to break the dormancy of 

 the trees, the weather is characterized by periods of bright, warm, 

 sunny days during December. January, and Febmary. During these 

 periods the buds are often started. This makes them tender and sus- 

 ceptible to injury by the lower temperatures that follow. Generally, 

 the temperatures that follow the warm periods are entirely seasonable 

 and would not injure the buds if they were in a dormant condition and 

 had not been started. Under southern conditions the method of hand- 

 ling peach orchards employed in the Xorth does not afford the greatest 

 in.surance against injury to the buds; but, nevertheless, most of the 

 growers manage their orchards according to this method. 



*Experimental results in handling peach trees under southern condi- 

 tions show that the trees should be kept in a growing condition until 

 late in the season. The reason for continuing the growth of the trees 

 rather late in the season, as brought out in these experimental results, 

 is based on the fact that the peach has a rest period, or a period during 

 which the trees normally remain dormant. During this period the 

 trees will not respond to conditions favorable to growth. The rest 

 period continues for a fairly definite length of time, and it is not until 

 after the expiration of this period that the trees will respond, to any 

 extent, to the influences of temperature. "When once the trees have 



*Missouri Aericultural Exi-criincnt Stiiiion RiiUoiin 74, eniiiled "The Winter-Killing of 

 Peach Buds As Influenced by Previous Treatment." 



Missouri Airricultural Experiment Station Circular of Information 31, entitled "Hardiness 

 of Peach Buds, Blossoms, and Youns Fruit •\s Influenced by the Care of the Orchard." 



Missouri Agricultural Kxiicriment Station Bulletin 111, Report of the Director for the 

 Year Ending June 30, 1912. 



