THE KANSAS PEACH. 27 



DISCUSSION ON PEACHES 



By the Missouri State Horticultural Society, at its summer meeting, in June, 1898. 



W. A. Gardner: In pruning, Professor Stringfellow [of Texas] 

 advises the cutting off of lateral roots, and I have found it a success. 

 The reason is that it is better to have roots start in the soil where 

 they are to grow, and thus accord with the nature of the soil. The 

 surface roots which furnish food should be near sunlight and air, also 

 in condition to obtain food from the soil. The trees bear after three 

 years. Devote three years to shaping ; cut the center out to have an 

 open tree. Keep the buds in the right direction and let the branches 

 grow out so as to let sunlight in. I did no pruning back after the 

 third year, and for three years now have had beautiful peaches. 

 Where the wood was thoroughly seasoned [ ?] I had the best buds and 

 they withstood frost the best. There should be system in pruning. 

 Clean out dead branches ; prune when there are no peaches on ; do 

 not cut back far; have the lower part eighteen inches from the ground 

 and cut off three to four feet of the growth. This gives many branches 

 from the old wood which are fruit producing. Cutting indiscrimi- 

 nately makes a brush heap instead of a tree. On new wood the fruit 

 is not so good color or vigor. To cut every year produces the effect 

 of a young tree wdiich drops its fruit. Do not prune until after frost. 

 In cutting back one-third you cut off the best bearing part. Keep 

 the roots bare and exposed on all sides where they grow into the 

 ground. The borer goes into these. A wash of lime, wood ashes and 

 kerosene will keep off the borer. Now, about gathering, packing, and 

 marketing. Use one half bushel baskets lined with excelsior, so as 

 not to bruise when dropped in. The California box is a good pack- 

 age and the commission man says it is better not to wrap the peach. 

 [?] Elbertas stood two weeks in hot Chicago weather. Pack in 

 four- or six-basket carriers. It is very bad to send poor peaches to 

 market. When the crop from Olden glutted the market, poor peaches 

 brought five cents a box, while those wrapped brought $1.25 per box. 

 Fancy peaches pay even on a glutted market, and are always in de- 

 mand, while the poor jjeach keeps the market down. Those who 

 packed poorly thought they were cheated because they didn't get as 

 much as those who sent in good shape. Peaches properly graded and 

 packed give satisfaction. 



J. T. Snodgrass : One great trouble is irregular packing. It 

 should be uniform and the fruit of uniform grade. Commission men 

 sell on the track, after representing to their markets what they have. 

 The six-basket carrier is the favorite. 



