Page 22 



years of experimenting with various 

 attachments on a fourteen-ineh plow, 

 and the use of much main strength and 

 awkwardness, I conceived the idea that 

 a little force applied to hold the plow 

 in the ground to force the coulter to 

 cut the vines might assist. To accom- 

 plish this I attached a riding attachment 

 and a large riding rolling coulter to the 

 walking plow. The latter was placed 

 well forward on the beam with the 

 point of the attachment as far behind 



BETTER FRUIT 



the center of the coulter as possible. 

 The edge of the coulter was kept sharp 

 by frequent grindings. Just previous to 

 plowing the vines are disced down the 

 way the land is to be plowed, as the 

 coulter cuts better when they are in a 

 solid mat. Two men are required for 

 rapid work. One rides and drives, his 

 weight preventing the coulter from 

 riding over the vines, while the second 

 follows and assists the obstinate 

 bunches of vines under the furrow. 



Methods of Saving Winter Injured Trees 



IN a statement recently made to Hood 

 River growers in regard to methods 

 that should be pursued in handling 

 winter injured trees, Gordon G. Brown, 

 Horticulturist at the Hood River Exper- 

 iment Station treats the subject in a 

 way that is of value to all growers 

 whose orchards were injured by low 

 temperatures. It is explained that the 

 so-called balance existing between the 

 root system and the top was greatly 

 disturbed by injury to the latter. 



"The extent," says Mr. Brown, "to 

 which the top has been injured varies 

 all the way from almost nothing to as 

 high as one hundred per cent. The kill- 

 ing back of so much tissue above 

 ground, however, cannot be in all re- 

 spects, likened to the removal of a 

 similar amount of wood through the 

 agency of pruning a non-injured tree. 

 Were such the case, the wood growth 

 on trees now making but feeble growth 

 would be tremenduous. The remaining 

 tissue is also injured, which explains 

 why a vigorous growth thus far has not 

 resulted. 



"It will be well to explain briefly how 

 a tree functions and what lack of bal- 

 ance means. Last year the trees had a 

 large leaf surface which was capable 

 of supplying the requirements of a large 

 root system. The root and top are said 

 to be in balance as evidenced by heavy 

 fruiting and lack of excessive wood 

 growth. During the latter portion of 

 the 1919 growing season the leaf sys- 

 tem was manufacturing and storing up 

 plant food for use during the 1920 

 season. This is the supply now being 

 furnished by the root system, without 

 which present growth would not be 

 possible. Beginning with the formation 

 of the terminal bud, the leaf system 

 will again manufacture and store plant 

 food for next year and the further 

 maintenance of the root system. It is 

 apparent, therefore, that as much leaf 

 surface as can be maintained in vigor- 

 ous condition should be encouraged 

 this summer. Obviously no pruning 

 which will remove leaves capable of 

 functioning should be done. To do so 

 would mean root starvation and an en- 

 feebled tree. 



"The above is not to be construed 

 that no pruning at this season is ad- 

 vised. The removal of dead limbs has 

 certain advantages well worth while. 

 Such limbs are more easily detected by 

 the average pruner now than during 

 winter and can therefore be removed 

 at less expense. Furthermore, on trees 

 with fruit, the tendency for such limbs 



is to scratch the fruit and lower its 

 quality. The psychological influence on 

 the grower in being rid of so many 

 "eyesores" is likewise apparent. 



"Let the grower decide now whether 

 the tree is worth saving. Do not be 

 influenced alone by the growth above 

 the main crotch. Examine the trunk 

 thoroughly. At a distance it may look 

 fairly normal. Possibly it is girdled half 

 way around. That means a gaping 

 wound which may not heal over for 

 many years or probably never. In the 

 meantime it is subject to heart rot and 

 similar troubles. Regular painting and 

 disinfecting must be done to save such 

 a tree. The writer doubts if it is 

 worth while to save such a tree, espe- 

 cially if it is old. It can be done 

 of course and a fair tree rebuilt, but 

 it will probably never again become 

 a first-class tree. The expense in re- 

 building a tree is great in that much 

 labor and time are expended before it 

 comes into full fruiting again. Further- 

 more, it is doubtful whether it pays to 

 save trees with impaired trunks, especi- 

 ally where a larger portion of one side 

 of the top is dead. Such trees will re- 

 quire great care in rebuilding in order 

 to induce proper shape. Therefore, in 

 deciding whether to save a tree consider 



August, IQ20 



the location and extent of injury, the 

 variety and the time and expense versus 

 what you will have as a reward for 

 your trouble. 



"If however, the grower decides to 

 save the tree do not at this time remove 

 anything but dead or dying wood. No 

 matter what shape the tree may have 

 when this is done leave the remainder. 

 Next winter corrective pruning may be 

 attempted, but it is out of place now. 



"Care must be exercised to avoid sun- 

 scald where large limbs are removed. 

 This is important. Keep the wounds 

 painted and cover the trunk and main 

 branches with whitewash in order to 

 deflect the sun's rays as much as 

 possible." 



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