46 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



graft than other fruit trees, because of the drying back of the bark. 

 Be extra careful in the waxing and be sure that the waxing remains 

 good until the growth starts out well the following summer. 



Young Trees Failing to Start. 



Sotne peach and almond trees set out last spring lived, but made no 

 growth. Should they be replaced with new stock? If not, ivhat may 

 be expected of them? 



If your inactive trees have good plump dormant buds (though 

 they may not be large buds), they may make good growth the 

 coming summer, if the land is good and the moisture right for free 

 growth. 



Peach Planting in Alfalfa Sod. 



Is it advisable to plant canning peaches in April, and ivill I gain 

 time in growth and development? I want to set out eight acres in 

 Tuscans or Phillips on deep rich soil near Yuba City. I have a pumping 

 plant and can irrigate. The land has been in alfalfa for several years. 

 I have in mind setting, out trees without disturbing the alfalfa — until 

 next plowing season. Do you think it advisable to use commercial fer- 

 tiliser on ten-year-old Muirsf 



Planting the best canning peaches on good peach soil near Yuba 

 City seems to be about the safest line of fruit investment which can 

 be undertaken. We doubt that you can get much growth from trees 

 planted in an old stand of alfalfa without some effort to kill out 

 the plant which now occupies the ground. Still, by deep digging, 

 throwing out all the alfalfa roots and thorough hoeing during the 

 growing season and keeping the alfalfa mowers from sawing off the 

 tops of them, the trees may make a good start. As the alfalfa will 

 have to be irrigated, April may not be too late to start the trees, 

 providing you can find nursery stock which is still quite dormant. 

 Probably ten-year-old peach trees will be very much improved by 

 commercial fertilizers. 



Prune on Almond. 



What root is considered best for prune trees? The ranch lies above 

 the creek. A friend is very partial to the almond root instead of the 

 myrobalan, but I understand that the prune tree sometimes outgrows 

 the almond root. 



If you have a deep rather light soil which drains well and which 

 there is, therefore, no danger of water standing during the rainy 

 season, the almond root is perfectly satisfactory for the prune. It 

 is a strong-growing root and keeps pace with the top growth well. 

 The prune, in fact, is more apt to overgrow the myrobalan than the 

 almond, and the myrobalan will not do well on light soils likely to 

 dry out as the almond will. 



Re-grafting Silver Prunes. 



I have Hve acres of Silver prunes which produce very little fruit. 

 The trees are strong and healthy. French prune trees adjoining bear 



