THE UNFRUITFUL TREE AND HOW TO CORRECT IT. 375 



of soil treatment. One point I wish to call attention to here, is 

 this, that as a result of applying stable manure on the part of the 

 orchard under experiment, as compared with the part not 

 manured, it is evident that we have made money by using ma- 

 nure. That simply confirms general experience and observation, 

 namely, that it is a good thing to give an occasional dressing of 

 manure to the bearing orchard in order to keep the ground 

 fertile and also to keep it full of humus, so as to increase its ca- 

 pacity to hold moisture. 



Summarizing this discussion as to treatment of the un- 

 productive tree to make it more productive, I would say: 



1. Recognize the fundamental principles of growth, dis- 

 tinguishing between the condition of rapid vegetative growth 

 and the condition of slower mature growth favorable to the 

 formation of fruit buds. 



2. Make the condition of the soil such that the roots will 

 be comfortable the year through — they can't run away when 

 it is too cold, and they can't get in out of the wet when it is too 

 wet — they must stay there. Make the soil conditions such that 

 it will be comfortable for the roots all the year round. 



3. Prune according to the needs of the tree. If the need is 

 to promote the vegetative growth, direct your pruning in that 

 way; if the need is to check the vegetative growth, direct your 

 pruning that way. Above all, prune so that the sunlight can get 

 to all the foliage in the tree and so that you can spray all parts of 

 the tree thoroughly. 



Mr. Kellogg: How long does it take a fruit bud to mature? 



Prof. Beach : Ordinarily, in the case of the apple, the first 

 indications that we can distinguish under the microscope of the 

 development or the beginning of the development of the fruit 

 bud are about the last of June. It has not been seen earlier than 

 that. The progress of development is more or less rapid, ac- 

 cording to the varieties and conditions, until fall. In the case 

 of the plum the different parts of the fruit bud will be pretty 

 well developed by fall ; in the case of the apple the different parts 

 are not so distinctly developed before spring. One of Ijthe 

 troubles with the apricot is, it carries fruit bud development 

 so far that it is caught almost always by the spring frosts or 

 freezes. 



Mr. Kellogg: How about a twig or a scion that will pro- 

 duce a fruit blossom that season, at the closing up of the season ? 



Prof. Beach : That might occur, but it would be out of the 

 ordinary, it would be abnormal. 



Mr. Kellogg : Some trees do that every time. 



