FRUIT GROWING 9 



die. Besides the pear blight attacks apples sometimes more viru- 

 lently than it does pears. 



Carrying Power of the Scion. 



/ have some large nine-year-old Emperors which I am thinking of 

 grafting over with Thompson scions. I hear that seedless varieties will 

 not do well on roots which produce seeds. 



The scion does, in all save very rare cases of variation, have the 

 power to carry over its own character and to thoroughly dominate 

 the stock. If this were not so, all our vast nursery interests and our 

 great commercial fruit growing enterprises would fly into confusion, 

 and all our modern agitation for selection of buds from growths of 

 the best types would be unwarranted. You are wrongly advised. 

 Thompson will be Thompson, surely enough for all commercial 

 purposes. Our seedless grapes may once in a while show seeds, but 

 it would be easier to shoot them in with a gun than to grow them in 

 from the root. 



Lifting Trees Planted too Deeply. 



I have trees that were planted from eight inches to a foot too deep. 

 I would like to plant these trees right this next season. Can this be done 

 without serious damage and if so, the best time to do it? 



You can pull the trees upward several inches when the ground is 

 well soaked with rain if the soil is a light loam. If, however, they 

 have grown well since planting work the soil away from the trees 

 this winter and let them go. If they have suffered from such deep 

 planting and have not made much growth, replant properly with 

 vigorous new trees. 



Fruit-Thinning and Natural Drop. 



At what stage should the peach and apricot be thinned? Is it true 

 that if the pit has colored any, it is too late and more damage results 

 than good? Just what is meant by the "natural drop"? Will this occur 

 if the crop has been thinned early in the season? 



It does not matter to the tree except that it is likely to make more 

 wood growth or to make the remaining fruits larger when its load is 

 lessened. No damage is done by late thinning, but it may be too late 

 to enlarge the remaining fruits much. Therefore thin just as soon as 

 you are sure the tree will keep too many after it has thrown down what 

 it will by the "natural drop," and that is what those words mean. 

 This will occur more or less even if you have thinned, therefore it is 

 usual to do thinning after it has occurred. 



Shortening Shoots to Thin Fruit. 



Do you advise in thinning peaches, removing or shortening surplus 

 shoots during May? I have tried pruning part of the fruit off, but found 



