HORTICULTURE. 871 



The characteristics of a nuiiiher of seedling apples which have been secured are 

 notf d in some detail. Some of these are of exceedingly tine (jiuility and very hardy. 

 The Rankin has been the best late fall apple grown l)y tlu^ author. The Ilinkley is 

 believed to be hardier tlian the Longfield. None of the author's seedling grapes 

 have yet fruited. 



A method of increasing: the size of fruit {Pro.^kmu'r OliMhau-Ztr/., <v {1903), 

 No. 6, p. 90). — Directions are given for increasing the size of long-.steiunied fruits 

 such as apples, pears, etc., by grafting to the stem by apjiroacli a vigorous sprout 

 growing near the fruit. 



Orig-in of Black Ben Davis {Nat. Nurseryman, 12 {1904), No. 2, pp. IS, 19). — 

 This is a report of a committee appointed by the Arkansas State Horticultural Society 

 to investigate the origin of the Black Ben Davis. The committee stated that Black 

 Ben Davis originated in Washington County, Arkansas, on a farm owned by Alex- 

 ander Black; and that while it is of the Ben Davis type and has some of the charac- 

 teristics of the apple known as Gano, it is a separate and distinct variety. 



Thinning fruit, E. R. Bennett {Connecticut Storrs Sta. Rpt. 1903, pp. 28-32, 

 fig. -?).— A general discussion is given of the desirability of thinning different varieties 

 of fruit, with an account of an experiment in thinning Baldwin apples. Five medium- 

 sized trees were used in the experiment. On one tree about one-third of the fruit 

 was removed, on another one-fourth, while on another the thinning was mostly 

 done on heavy-laden limbs. Two trees were used as checks. In every case the 

 thinning was done July 15, after the usual early dropping of the fruit was past. 



The number of first and second grade fruits obtained and the total value of the 

 fruit is recorded in a table. The increased value of the fruit due to thinning varied 

 from ~~h cts. to $1.83 j^er tree. Thinning had a tendency to increase the size of the 

 first-gra<le fruit; thus while it took 570 apples for a barrel of first-grade fruit in the 

 case of the unthinned trees, it required but 536 to make a barrel of first-grade fruit 

 from thinned trees. Suggestions are given on how to thin fruit and when to thin. 



According to the author, peaches should be thinned to 6 or 8 in. apart. Plums 

 should not be left close enough to touch each other when they are full grown. It is 

 usually not desirable to thin until after the early periods of falling are past, which in 

 the northern States occurs from the middle of June to the middle of July. 



It is recommended that all discarded fruits be removed from the orchard and 

 destroyed, either 1)}' Ijurning or l)urying, as a means of controlling injurious insects 

 and diseases. 



Pruning of tree and. bush fruits, W. N. Hutt ( Utah Sta. Bui. 83, pp. 33, figs. 

 28). — Detailed directions are given for pruning all the more important orchard and 

 small fruits, especial attention being given in each case to a discussion of the ]irinci- 

 ples underlying the pruning operations to be performed with each fruit. 



Pruning the peach, C. P. Close {Delaware Sta. Bui. 62, pp. 10, figs. 21). — This 

 bulletin discusses the value and best methods of pruning peaches in Delaware and is 

 accompanied by a large number of photographs illustrating the text. Vai'ious sub- 

 divisions treat of the method of pruning roots at planting; pruning the top imme- 

 diately after planting; pruning first, second, and subsequent years; renewing old 

 orchards, etc. Low heading of peach trees is advocated. 



Peach growing in Arkansas, E. Walker {Arkansas Sta. Bui. 79, pp. 43-68, 

 dgia. 1) . — According to the author, peach growing is rapidly increasing in ilnportance 

 in Arkansas. The larger part of the orchards are located in the western half of the 

 State on the higher grounds. The soils whic^h are becoming popular for peaiihes 

 are largely those which were coming to be considered "worn-out" cotton lands. 

 Land so worn as to be unprofitable in cotton is giving very satisfactory results with 

 peaches. Of the varieties grown throughout the State the medium and late ones are 

 most profital)le. 



The early varieties come in cf)mpetiti()n with those from (Jeorgia, Texas, and else- 

 where, and are unprofitable. It is believed that Mountain Rose and Family l'\ivc)rite 



