RELATION OF EARLY MATURITY TO HARDINESS. 219 



the growth of the trees and cause them to ripen their wood well before 

 winter. The results of the tests at the Experiment Station are borne 

 out by the experience of fruit growers of this and other states. 



The Experiment Station tests of the effect of cover-crops on the fall 

 maturity and Yvrinter hardiness of peaches have extended over a period 

 of four years. During this time the trees in the cover-crop plats have 

 stopped growing and ripened their new wood from a few weeks to two 

 months earlier than similar trees in adjoining plats that received late 

 summer cultivation. Figure 12 illustrates the effect of cover-crops on 

 early maturity of peaches. The twig on the left indicates the ripened 

 condition of trees with cover-crops even in early fall when the trees 

 given late cultivation are still growing rapidly as indicated by the twig 

 at the right in the illustration. Figure 13 shows the effect of even a 

 mild winter (1903-04) on peach trees in both the cover-crop and cultiva- 

 tion plats. The photographs were taken in May, 1904, and show repre- 

 sensative twigs taken from the cover-crop and late cultivation plats. It 

 will be noticed that in case of the cover-crop trees there was very little 

 injury and that most of the terminal buds had started growth; while 

 with the trees given late cultivation the winter injury was severe, none 

 of the terminal buds having started growth and some of the twigs having 

 been killed back almost their entire length. 



