THINNING FRUIT. 



Fig. 1377. Effect of thinning on the size of native plums (after Wisconsin Station). 



MOW that we are making some 

 definite practical tests at Ma- 

 /\ \v plehurst, of the possible ad- 

 vantage of thinning fruit, it is 

 interesting to find confirmatory testi- 

 mony coming from other sources Far- 

 mers' Bulletin (U. S.), 76, says : Thin- 

 ning the fruit of trees that have a ten- 

 dency to overbear, is recommended 

 very generally, and practiced very little. 

 Few extended experiments in thinning 

 fruits have been reported by Experiment 



Stations, but where thinning has been 

 followed systematically for a number of 

 years in commercial orchards, it has 

 been found profitable. 



The number of fruits produced per 

 tree may be regulated in two general 

 ways : By pruning away a part of the 

 branches to prevent the formation of too 

 much fruit, or by picking off the super- 

 fluous fruits soon after they have formed. 

 With such fruits as grapes, raspberries, 

 blackberries and the like, the former 



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