86 THE KANSAS PEACH. 



WINTER KILLING OF PEACH BUDS. 



One of the most serious drawljaoks to peach growing in some parts 

 of Missouri [and Kansas] is the winter-killing f>t' the buds. In many 

 parts of the state serious winter-killing is not frequent, and magnifi- 

 cent crops of peaches, particularly of certain varieties, are reasonably 

 sure. In other portions, however, killing of the buds is sufficiently 

 common to cause frequent loss of peach crops. Probably in every 

 part of the state the peach is in enough danger from unfavorable win- 

 ter conditions to make the question of winter protection one of con- 

 siderable economic importance. Even where a good crop is reasonably 

 certain, the fruit-buds are often weakened during the winter. 



CAUSES OF WINTER-KILLING. 



Lov^ temperature, and consequent severe freezing, is often the direct 

 cause of winter-killing of the fruit-buds of the peach. Peach buds, 

 however, have often withstood a temperature of ten degrees, or even 

 twenty degrees, below zero and subsequently produced flowers and 

 fruit. On the other hand, five degrees below zero has sometimes en- 

 tirely killed the peach buds throughout considerable areas. This 

 shows that other conditions besides mere cold weather must be stud- 

 ied in attempting to ascertain the causes of winter-killing of buds 

 or plants. 



Imperfect ripening of the wood and buds in autumn renders them 

 more susceptible to injury from cold weather. This imperfect matu- 

 lity may be caused by late cultivation, or by warm autumn rains, 

 which prolong the season of growth. Often the dry weather and cool 

 nights of August induce partial ripening of the wood and buds. Sub- 

 sequent rains and warm weather induce an autumn growth that is 

 somewhat akin to a spring awakening; so much so that occasionally 

 some of the flower-buds burst into bloom in autumn. 



Sudden change of temperature is always more dangerous than 

 gradual change. A sudden drop from our ordinary winter tempera- 

 ture to five degrees below zero, particularly if accorapained by strong 

 wind, is more severe on peach buds than a gradual fall to ten or fifteen 

 degrees below zero. Sudden thawing is sometimes more damaging 

 than sudden freezing. Buds and twigs are also unfavorably affected 

 hj bright sunlight during times of low temperature. 



GroiHh of buds during vmrrn v'eather in vnnter renders them very 

 susceptible to injury from subsequent freezing. This is the most 

 common cause of winter-killing of peach buds in this state. It very 

 often happens that a warm spell as early as February causes the peach 

 buds to make considerable growth. If growth starts to any great ex- 

 tent the subsequent cold weather is almost sure to kill the buds. The 

 peach is quite easily stimulated into growth by warm days, even in 



