TlIK BlLLETIN 39 



reduced somewhat bv going over the trees throughout the suTinner and 

 removing shoots that are out of phice or interfering. Those tliat are 

 making exceptional growth and which may later unbalance the tree 

 may be checked by pinching them back. Pruning may be done at any 

 time during the dormant season, but in tlii->< State late winter or early 

 s])ring before growth starts is the most advisal)le time. At this time 

 the indications for a crop are better known and the trees can be pruned 

 accordingly. 



THINNING 



There is no I'actor which contributes more to bringing out the excel- 

 lent (qualities of |)eaches and towards giving them good size and hand- 

 some ajipearance than thinning the young fruit. Tt has been demon- 

 strated, time and time again, in the leading peach sections of tlif- 

 count rv that in normal seasons no work in connection with peacli 

 growing pays more than the operation of thinning; yet this operation 

 is the exception rather than the rule. 



Peaches should be thinned immediately after what is known as the 

 "Tune drop," which occurs, generally, in May in North Carolina. The 

 correct distance to thin is governed chiefly by the number of fruits, the 

 variety, the age of the tree, the vigor of the tree, the fertility of the 

 soil, and the amount of moisture available. Tliinning is more valuable 

 during years of normal or heavy crops than during seasons when the 

 crop is small. 



Some varieties, like Mayflower, Greensboro, Dewey, and Old Mixon, 

 require more thinning than others. Old trees as a general rule require 

 more thinning than younger trees. The more vigorous the tree the 

 more fertile the soil, and the more moisture availal)le the less the 

 amount of thinning to be done. 



The proper distance to thin requires more judgment on the part of 

 the orchardist than almost any other orchard operation. Experiments 

 conducted by this Station show that under normal conditions peaches 

 should be thinned to a mininuim distance of from 4 to 6 inches. Tak- 

 ing into consideration the health and longevity of the tree, C inches as 

 a minimum di.'^tance will be found to give the best results. Tn thin- 

 ning, remove all insect-injured, deformed, and undersized fruits. If 

 it becomes noticeable later in the season that not a sufficient amount of 

 fruit was i-emoved. a second thinning may be made. 



The chief advantages of thinning are: 



1. Thinning enables the tree to produce tlio largest possible weight 

 of fruit with the least expenditure of energy. 



2. It tends to distribute the weight more evenlv over the tree. .'Jo that 

 the danger of breaking the limbs is reduced to a mininuim. 



:^. Tt enables the tree to produce vigorous growth and strong fruit 

 buds. 



