IRRIGATION FOR THE ORCHARD. 295 



good yield. With too much water, that is, when the 

 irrigations are too frequent, the leaves of the trees will 

 often turn yellow, owing to the depletion of chlorophyl 

 caused by overirrigation. 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. 



Unlike the apple, the peach should not be irrigated 

 at time of plucking, unless the trees are adlually suffer- 

 ing for moisture, and this precaution applies particu- 

 larly to fruit intended for shipment. One grower of 

 our acquaintance having a very fine orchard of Muirs 

 which he was drying thought he would check the 

 ripening of the fruit by thorough irrigation. At the 

 time the water was applied the peaches were of very 

 fine quality and withstood handling well. Within 

 thirty-six hours after the irrigation was completed, 

 however, there was the greatest change imaginable in 

 this fruit. A very slight touch would rub off the skin, 

 the wound would immediately turn black and rapid 

 decay set in. The previous fine and delicate flavor was 

 gone and the fruit when dried shriveled to almost 

 nothing. The frequency of the application will depend 

 almost wholly on the charadler of the soil and whether 

 the trees are bearing a crop of fruit or not. Suppose a 

 tree which is three years old well supplied with foliage, 

 and consider the amount of evaporating surface the 

 foliage possesses. Is it not apparent that it will make 

 an enormous drain on the soil in a dry atmosphere ? 



