PRU.^IiVG PEACH TREES. 



^11 



found in the whole crop picked from the 12- 

 acre sprayed orchard. It will be noticed, 

 by referring to the samples photographed 

 that the spotted apples show a light color 

 while the other two are much darker — a fine 

 liigh color. This is true of the crop in each 

 orchard throughout. 



The only question is as to whether the 

 same results could not have been obtained 

 with a less quantity of material used. With 

 Mr. Johnston it seemed to be not a matter 

 of quantity or expense. It was an experi- 

 ii:ent he was engaged in and a sure result ho 

 was working for. 



PEUNING PEACH TEEES 



^I'^HE unusual number of questions upon 

 A the. pruning of fruit trees and vines 

 indicates that the following report of ex- 

 periments in pruning peach trees, conducted 

 by Prof. J. C. Whitten, of Missouri Experi- 

 ment Station, and published in the Experi- 

 ment Station Record of September, will be 

 of interest: 



The experiments followed the severe 

 winter freezes of 1898-99 in pruning back 

 peach trees. . The cold had killed practical- 

 ly all the fruit buds, while the wood of the 

 trees was badly discolered to the heart. In 

 the experimental work some of the trees 

 were left unpruned for comparison. With 

 others the new wood was pruned back about 

 half, as is the customary yearly practice. In 

 the majority of cases with the older trees 

 the limbs were cut back into 3 or 4-year-old 

 wood, leaving arms in the main branches 3 

 to 5 feet long. Most of the pruning was 

 done in February, soon after the freeze, 

 though in some instances it was continued 

 imtil the leaves were just starting. The 

 following spring the trees which were not 

 pruned at all started into leaf growth first. 

 They made a feeble growth during the sum- 

 mer, the growth being confined principally 

 to the tips of the branches. There was al- 

 most no indication of growth in the body of 

 the tree. Trees that had been pruned back 



severely were rather tardy in beginning 

 growth in the spring. When growth final- 

 ly started, however, it was very vigorous 

 and continued throughout the season, some 

 6 to 9 feet of new wood being made, which 

 ripened up well during the season. Old 

 trees that were cut back to the ground leav- 

 ing only a stump died in many cases. Those 

 that did sprout made an unsatisfactory 

 growth. Trees pruned back by cutting 

 away 1-3 to 5^ of the i -year-old wood also 

 made unsatisfactory growth, but little better 

 than where the trees were left unpruned en- 

 tirely. 



The best results were secured in pruning 

 l)ack into the 2 to 4-year-old wood, the 

 severity of the cutting depending upon the 

 age and vigor of the tree. It was observed 

 that trees with smooth, bright looking bark 

 sent out branches from their trunks more 

 readily than those whose bark was thick, 

 rough, and dull colored. There was prac- 

 tically no difference in the results obtained 

 in cutting back the trees at different times 

 from just after the freezing until the leaves 

 had made some growth. In the rejuvena- 

 tion of orchards thus severely pruned, good 

 cultivation to properly aerate the soil in 

 spring and to conserve moisture during the 

 summer is advised. 



