204 IRIUi.ATIOX 1-AKMIM.. 



as well and would require less water. Mature trees 

 should be well watered from the time the fruit is set 

 until September 1, after which the 'irrigations are with- 

 held until December, when the trees are again watered 

 to go into winter quarters. On no account should water 

 be applied at or near the blooming period, as the ten- 

 dency would be to blast the prospects of a good yield. 

 With too much water, that is, when the irrigations are 

 too frequent, the leaves of the trees will often turn yel- 

 low, owing to the depletion of chlorophyl caused by 

 over-irrigation. Modern growers of peach trees north 

 of the 38th parallel have adopted the plan of laying 

 down their trees in winter and covering them with 

 earth, root, stem and branch, keeping them buried 

 until blossoming time in the spring. Wetting the roots 

 at burying time assists in bending the tree down. 



Apricots should be planted, pruned, cultivated 

 and irrigated the same as the peach. Alkali soil is not 

 a detriment to the apricot if not too strong, and often 

 gets the blame that belongs to irrigation. Young apri- 

 cot trees, after bearing their first crop, should be pruned 

 at once, and the lateral branches only should be short- 

 ened in. If irrigation is employed, then water and cul- 

 tivation must be applied immediately in order to start 

 the tree growing, so that it may develop fruit buds for 

 the next year's crop. If the tree lias borne very heav- 

 ily and the wood growth has been light, better not prune 

 at all, but do not neglect cultivation after the crop is 

 gathered. As this tree gets older it needs scarcely any 

 pruning. 



The Cherry. This fine pit fruit is most often 

 planted on very light soils, fifteen to eighteen feet apart. 

 and is at home on ridge land. Trees may be planted in 

 apple orchards, but the irrigation system should be li - 

 tinct from that of the apple trees. Mulching is not i - 

 ommended, as it induces the roots to take <>n an upward 



