12 SECOND THOUSAND QUESTIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



Fruit Splitting. 



What causes fruits to split? Is sandy soil more apt to cause splitting 

 than heavier soil? I have a few trees, seven years old, on sandy soil, 

 that are growing finely but the fruits split. 



The causes of splitting have not been demonstrated. It is quite 

 widely believed to be due to irregularity in moisture either in the air 

 or the soil or both producing too rapid changes in the moisture con- 

 ditions in the tissues. Some fruits are more liable than others; and 

 some varieties of the same fruit more liable than other varieties. 

 Theoretically more rapid changes would be expected in a sandy soil. 



Slitting Bark-Bound Trees. 



7 have Comnice pear trees, four years old, which are "hide bound" 

 at the union. The trees are good and healthy so far. Do you adrisc 

 splitting the bark in four or five places and rubbing soft soap over the 

 whole surface, i. e., between the upper roots and where it was budded? 



We would slit but not split. Run a sharp knife up or down (not 

 sideways) through the union, to the bark above and below it. This 

 will allow expansion and a better joint. Soft soap may be all right 

 but we would use whitewash. 



Crude Oil and Bark Injuries. 



Climbing cut-worms were eating our fruit buds at night, and I painted 

 the trees below the fork with crude oil. The oil seems to have injured 

 the trees. I have made cuts on the south side of trees and find the 

 bark dry as if the sap had stopped running. 



Heavy oils are dangerous if applied directly to tree bark. 

 Whether it acted through sunburning and not otherwise, you can tell 

 by cutting into the bark on the north side of the tree. If the inner 

 bark is healthy in the shade, the presumption is that the injury is 

 sunburn, and it may have been done before you put the oil on, though 

 it is quite likely that the oil by darkening the bark increased the 

 injury. Cover the oil with a coat of whitewash and see later how 

 badly you are hit. 



Non-Bearing Cherries. 



7 have black cherry trees, eight years old, in black loam, well 

 drained, thrifty growers, healthy looking, bloom heavy, set fruit, but 

 when fruit reaches size of a pea, it falls off. The limbs have been 

 thinned out, but never cut back. Why does not the fruit mature, and 

 what would you advise? 



Cherries sometimes come to such age without holding fruit, 

 when they are on rich land and are making too much wood-growth. 

 Stop pruning and cultivation and see what they will do. Sometimes 

 such behavior is due to lack of cross-pollination, but if you have other 



