HOME PROPAGATION OP PEACH TREES 



1547 



ing weather begins. Close watch must be 

 kept to see that the blossoms Uo not open 

 prematurely, or that the branch buds are 

 not forced into tender, white growth. 

 When the blossom buds begin to open, 

 the covering should be loosened so as to 

 admit light and air, but it should not 

 all be removed. More of the covering 

 should be removed as the weather gets 

 warmer, but the blossoms must be ex- 

 posed to the sun gradually. 



"Air and light are, of course, necessary 

 for proper fertilization of the flowers, but 

 after this process is complete and the 

 fruit is set, all danger from the weather is 

 considered as being over. The trees are 

 usually raised about the middle of May 

 at Canyon City. 



"Raising the tree is, of course, a simple 

 task. The ground is again watered and 

 when wet enough the trees are raised. To 

 be sure, trees that have been treated in 

 this manner will not usually stand up- 

 right unsupported. Consequently, they 

 are propped up at an angle — usually two 

 props being required to keep the wind 

 from swaying them." 



Professor Maynard found that when the 

 trees were covered too closel.v with soil 

 the buds were killed by heating, but when 

 covered with mats and other light ma- 

 terials a large percentage of the buds 

 were preserved. In some comparative 

 tests made by him about 50 per cent of 

 the buds of unprotected trees were de- 

 stroyed while only 10 per cent of those 

 of protected trees were killed. Many of 

 the trees used in Professor Maynard's ex- 

 periments were more than ten years old. 



Hardiness in Peaches 



Possibly the greatest problem the peach 

 grower has to face is how to avoid or 

 check injury from freezes and frosts. The 

 problem is not Insurmountable; for here 

 and there varieties and orchards are 

 wholly uninjured, and possibly adjoin- 

 ing others partly or wholly killed. What 

 conditions of the trees, of the soil, or of 

 the care, make the difference? A few 

 years ago the writer sent several hun- 



dred circular letters to peach growers 

 in Michigan and New York asking for 

 information on this subject. The follow- 

 ing is a brief summary of the answers: 

 The peach must have a warm, well- 

 drained soil to secure the greatest pos- 

 sible hardiness inherent in the species. 

 Either extreme of moisture — excessive 

 wetness or excessive dryness — gives fa- 

 vorable conditions for winter-killing 

 Young trees suffer most in severe winter 

 freezes. The wood of some varieties is 

 more succulent than that of others, mak- 

 ing such sorts susceptible to cold. Early 

 and Late Crawford are most succulent 

 in growth, while Chair's Choice, St. John, 

 Niagara and Surprise are less succulent. 

 The small-growing varieties with com- 

 pact heads are hardier than the free- 

 growing sorts with large heads. The fol- 

 lowing are the most compact growers: 

 Hill's Chili, Crosby, Gold Drop, Barnard, 

 Triumph, Wager and Fitzgerald. Trees 

 are more likely to suffer from cold if 

 unthrifty than if thrifty. Late fall 

 growths are very susceptible to winter 

 injury in both wood and bud. Peach 

 growers in the two states hold that the 

 most effective treatment of their orchards 

 to avoid winter injury is to sow cover 

 crops, holding that they protect the roots 

 from cold, cause the trees to ripen thor- 

 oughly, and assist in regulating the sup- 

 ply of moisture. Nearly all growers in 

 both states prefer low-headed trees, claim- 

 ing that both buds and branches are 

 more often injured in high-headed trees. 

 The testimony secured was for most part 

 unfavorable to windbreaks. 



The five varieties of peaches most 

 hardy in wood are: Crosby, Hill's Chili, 

 Stevens Rareripe, Gold Drop and Elberta. 

 The Crawfords are considered most ten- 

 der in wood. The five varieties of 

 peaches most hardy in bud are Crosby, 

 Hill's Chili, Triumph, Gold Drop and 

 Stevens Rareripe. The five most tender 

 in bud are the two Crawfords, Chair's 

 Choice, Reeves Favorite and Elberta. 



rircnlar No. l.**. New York Affrlciillurjil Ex- 

 pcrinicnt Statiiin. 



