10 March, 1917.] 



Aj/p't Vulturt ill I'lctorid. 



149 



Plate 69 shows a fourteen-year-okl Irish peach tree before being 

 pruned this year. This tree has been kept regularly pruned since it 

 was planted, and consequently the branch system is open and the 

 leaders are well spaced and developed. And in consequence of the 

 operator's knowledge of the nature of the wood, which is somewhat 

 similar to that of the Rome Beauty, the leaders are clothed with 

 laterals of as fruitful a character as it was possible to obtain under 

 the circumstances. 



Plate 70 is the same tree showing the method of pruning advocated 

 in its case. It will be observed that the weak, pendulous laterals, some 

 of the stronger ones with fruit knobs, and the fruit spurs were retained, 

 while the stronger and more vertical growths were pruned away. 



g-^^^r^;.;*^^.. 





Plate 70. — Same Tree as in Figme 69, pruned. 



Pruning the Statesman. 



The Statesman, on account of the thriftiness which it displays in the 

 various districts in which it is cultivated, the rather attractive appear- 

 ance, uniform size, and good-keeping qualities of its fruit, is fast c-oming 

 into prominence as a profitable dessei-t variety to cultivate for export 

 as well as for home markets. It is a consistently prolific bearer, and 

 up to the present cross pollination has not been found necessary. In 

 fact, its fertility in this respect, as far as can be judged, is of a hi^h 

 standard. But there is no guarantee that these conditions will con- 

 tinue, owing to the many other altering conditions which bring about 

 evolutionary changes in the constitutional make-up of the apple tree. 



