THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 147 



remove all large laterals leaving ouly the small fruiting wood and eut 

 this back to the re(iuired amount. 



Some of the claims made for this system are that no propping is 

 required to support the limbs and as these are so nearly perpeudieular 

 in growth the orehard is more easily worked close to the trees and the 

 trees are more easily kept down to a proper height than when pruned 

 by the ordinary method. This system certainly works admirably in the 

 sections where it is used, and in my opinion on true peach soil, where 

 the trees are vigorous and grow large, strong limbs, it is far superior to 

 the old vase form, ])ut it is a question if it would prove as satisfactory 

 in many of our orchards Avhere the trees make a more feeble growth, 

 and especially with a tree of as slender growth as the ]\Iuir. Of course, 

 with a less vigorous tree it would re(iuire three or even four years to 

 get the tree to a proper height by this method. 



When the trees set too heavy a crop thinning should always be resorted 

 to, as it is just as easy to overwork a tree as a horse and the results are 

 fully as disastrous. Furthermore, the diffei'ence between a crop of 

 large and a crop of small fruit is often the difference between profit 

 and loss. Thinning should not be done till just before the pit hardens 

 and the period of natural drop has passed. 



In sections where irrigation is ])racticed great care should be taken 

 to supply the necessary amount of moisture before the tree shows any 

 visible signs of needing it, as when this occurs it has already suffered 

 great injury. The deep furi'ow method of irrigation or running w^ater 

 slowly through oiu^ or two deep furrows in the center of the row until 

 the soil is sufficiently wet by seepage should be practiced on all heavy 

 soils and in all localities where flooding is not absolutely necessary. 



Cultivation with some tool that will stir the soil to a depth of at least 

 five or six inches should always follow irrigation as soon as the land is 

 in the proper condition to work. It should never be stirred when sticky, 

 or when it will slip from the plow^ in smooth shining chunks, but should 

 crumble and fall into fine particles as it turns over. It is an excellent 

 plan, especially in heavy soils, to run a subsoiler in each irrigation 

 furrow as well as in the center of each row at right angles to these and 

 to a depth of eighteen or twenty inches. This breaks up the plow sole 

 and facilitates deep irrigation. The number of irrigations must be 

 governed by circumstances. Plenty of moisture in the spring when the 

 tree is starting its season's work is necessary, but in the hot dry valleys 

 of the interior this is not sufficient for its needs. No one would expect 

 his horse to drink enough in the morning of a long hot day to last him 

 till the next morning and trees, like horses, should be watered when 

 they need it. The way to determine when they need it is with the aid 

 of a soil tester or in the absence of this a ' 'long-back " irrigating shovel. 

 This will show the exact conditions at any time. 



When the whole surface of the peach becomes soft to the touch it is 

 ready for drying and should be picked from the tree, cut into halves 

 and placed in the sulfur bath as quickly as possible, using three pounds 

 of the best sublimed sulfur to the ton of fruit with an exposure of at 

 least three hours to the fumes. Sufficient sulfuring -will be indicated by 

 the skin slipping readily when taken from the sulfur bath. If for any 

 reason the cut surface of the peach becomes dry before sulfuring it 

 should be sprinkled with water before entering the sulfur house. Care 



