HORTICULTURE, 237 



Preliminary notes on tlie seedling apples of Maine, W. M. Munson ( Maine 

 f^ia. Bui. Vfo, pp. 115-139, figs. 14)- — This bulletin contains a history and de- 

 scription of the more important seedling apples originating in Maine. The list 

 of apples herein given is based upon varieties listed and described at different 

 times by Downing, Thomas, Cole, and others, and mentioned in the reports of 

 the Maine I'omological Society. Of such varieties as are now wholly or partly 

 extinct the descriptions are omitted. Ilhistrations are given of several of the 

 more important varieties. 



The winterkilling of peach, buds as influenced by previous treatment, 

 \V. H. Chandler (Missouri Sta. Bui. 7Jf, pp. J^l, figs. llf). — In this bulletin the 

 effects of severe pruning, thinning, and cultivation in the peach orchard on the 

 hardiness of the fruit buds are discussed, and the results are ^iven of observa- 

 tions made on the hardiness of different varieties. 



Observations made in the station orchard during the season of 1903—1: suggest 

 that it is possible to head the fruit trees back so severely as to produce less hardy 

 buds on the following summer's wood. In cases where the heading back is 

 sufficiently moderate to permit the forming of fruit buds near the base of the 

 whips of new wood their chances of living through the winter do not appear to be 

 lessened by the pruning. Buds on vigorous new wood finish their resting period 

 later and are not so readily started into growth by warm periods in the winter 

 to be killed by subsequent cold weather. 



In the station orchard the trees having the smallest percentage of buds killed 

 were those trained to a spreading open head and forced by pruning and cultiva- 

 tion to make a vigorous growth. The fruit on trees with spreading heads did 

 not rot so badljj^as that on trees with dense heads. The fruit on trees making a 

 fairly vigorous growth was larger than that on trees making a smaller growth, 

 except with early varieties, with which a tree making a rather small wood growth 

 is said to bear better fruit. Thinning the fruit enabled the tree to set more 

 hardy fi'uit buds for the next crop. In those cases in the station orchard where 

 only one side of a tree was thinned, from 5 to 40 per cent more of the fruit buds 

 were killed by a temperature of 6° F. below zero on the side not thinned than 

 on the side thinned. 



The fruit buds of such varieties as the Elberta. Crawford, Golden Gate, and 

 Oldmixou are said to kill badly in Missouri, since they finish their resting period 

 early and are easily pushed into slight growth on warm days. Varieties of 

 Chinese Cling and green-twigged types, excepting the Elberta, which are gener- 

 ally late in finishing their resting period, are said to be better adapted for the 

 Missouri climate. 



Although no data have been gathered relative to the effect of cultivation on the 

 hardiness of fruit buds, information was received from one fruit grower in Mis- 

 souri that in the spring of 1906 more buds were found to have come through the 

 winter on a portion of his orchard which had received good cultivation. It is 

 believed that the enhanced growth by cultivation aids in retarding the resting 

 period. 



Experiment station work with peaches, C. B. Smith {TJ. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Office Expt. 8tas. Rpt. 1906, pp. 399-J,S4, figs. 6).— This is a summary of the 

 Important results secured from investigations and experimental work with 

 peaches at the various experiment stations in the United States, The impor- 

 tant phases considered include a classification into races and types, tree growth, 

 flower buds, hardiness, physiological characteristics, blooming habits, self- 

 fertility, methods of winter protection, causes and treatment of winter injury, 

 ltroi)agation, stocks, location and soil, treatment of trees at transplanting, culti- 

 vation, irrigation, fertilizing and cover crops, thinning, pruning, harvesting, 

 shipping, and cold storage. Data are also given in regard to the composition of 

 peaches, canning, and profits, together with an extensive bibliography. 



