300 Peach-Growing 



relation between the weight of the crop, when excessive, and 

 the breaking of the limbs from overbearing is evident. 



METHOD OF THINNING 



There is but one satisfactory means of removing the fruits 

 in thinning, and that is by hand. To thin by beating off the 

 surplus, as is sometimes done, has nothing to commend it, 

 and there is no substitute for the hand that serves the pur- 

 pose. Further, the grade of the fruit at harvest time is 

 determined in a large measure by the care and intelligence 

 exercised in thinning. By permitting only fruits that are 

 entirely free from all blemish, uniform in size and form and 

 in degree of development, to remain on a tree when the thin- 

 ning is done, grading at the packing table will become a 

 simple matter and there will be a minimum of fruit not of 

 high grade. 



WHEN TO THIN 



The common practice of thinning as quickly as possible 

 after the "June drop" fixes the time when the operation 

 should be begun as definitely as it is possible to state it. The 

 "June drop," however, may not occur in June as the term 

 might imply, and it may, therefore, be misleading without 

 further explanation. This term, however, has considerable 

 significance. As a rule, many peaches start to develop and 

 grow for a time, and when they reach a certain size drop off. 

 This dropping occurs within a few weeks after the blossoming 

 period and in many peach-growing regions it takes place, as 

 a matter of fact, during June. It is a period recognized by 

 all experienced peach-growers. 



The drop may be light, quickly passed, and almost un- 

 noticed ; or it may be very heavy and occur during a rather 



