mp:thod of thinning and cost of picking peaches. 121 



was not due to excess or lack of crop, for it was distinct on Iwth 

 heavily and liohtl}^ loaded trees; where the fruit was of medium size 

 and where it was exceptionally large, Init was due to the use of the 

 copper sprays, especially of the stronger Bordeaux mixtures applied. 

 Here is another advantage in the use of the copper salts. This increase 

 in color would certainly mean dollars to the grower where the fruit 

 was placed on the market in competition with unsprayed fruit, even 

 of the same variety. The writer regrets that a color scale could not 

 have been used in this connection, so that the true heightening of 

 color could l)e stated, but the contrast between sprayed and unsprayed 

 fruit, where the spraying was done with the Bordeaux mixture, was 

 observed and discussed by many who had this fruit to handle. 



METHOD OF THINNING AND COST OF PICKING PEACHES. 



THINNING BY HAND AND BY CURL. 



An argument advanced by certain peach growers and requiring con- 

 sideration is that a moderate spraying under ordinary conditions is 

 sufficient. By avoiding too thorough work enough curl is allowed to 

 develop to cause the dropping of one-fourth to one-half of the peaches 

 being set by the tree. If soil conditions are favorable it is thought 

 the trees will still retain a sufficient crop, and the expense of thinning 

 will be avoided. 



At first thought the plan here suggested might seem the easiest and 

 cheapest way of thinning fruit. A consideration of all points involved 

 will show, however, the faults of this method. To do effective pre 

 ventive spraying against curl the spray must be applied to the dormant 

 tree, and to judge of the severity of a coming attack of curl before 

 growth begins is too uncertain a method to warrant the indorsement of 

 practical growers. All influencing conditions may appear to favor a 

 light attack of curl till after the spraying is completed, when a sudden 

 change of temperature or a cold rain may develop a severe attack 

 within the course of a few days. Under such conditions, incomplete 

 or light spray work may cost the grower the major portion of his 

 crop. 



In case the severity of curl is about as presupposed, the number 

 of peaches remaining on the tree being about what the tree should 

 carry, it is still very probable that the grower has sustained a loss in 

 the stoppage of growth of wood and fruit and in the fall of foliage 

 equal to or al)ove the expense of thinning. There is also a difference 

 between hand-thinned trees and those thimied by curl. This disease 

 is local in its action, not general. If one liranch in the midst of dis- 

 eased branches is thoroughly sprayed it will hold its fruit, while the 

 peaches will fall from those not sprayed. This will show that the 

 peaches of a diseased tree are not thinned evenly, as the disease is fre- 

 quently not uniformly distrilnited over all branches of the tree. Then 



