THE GENESEE FAEMER. 



249 





"WINTER, SPRING, S'JMMEIl. OF 1859-SFFECTS OF 

 THE WEATHER ON FKUIT TEEES, &C. 



Our readers in tlie vicinity of Western New York 

 need not be reminded tliat the seasons of the pres- 

 ent year have been peculiar, when compared with 

 those of previous years, and the effect of the 

 weatlier on fruit and fruit trees has been marked 

 and decisive. Tlie winter was warm and mild 

 without parallel — very little snow, and the weather 

 at no time very severe, except on the 9th, 10th, 

 and 11th of January. On the 9th, at sundown, 

 the mercury stood with us at 3 deg. above zero; at 

 9 o'clock in the morning on the 10th, at 3 deg. be- 

 low; and at sundown, at 5 deg. Ijelow ; but it was 

 rei>orted tliat at noon it stood at 10 deg. below. 

 About 10 o'clock P. M. of the lOth a great change 

 was perceptible, and at 9 A. ZC of the 11th the 

 thermometer indicated 18 deg. above, and the next 

 day it stood over 32 deg. above. 



The etTect on the peach buds, of this sudden fall 

 and rise in the temperature, was immediately per- 

 ceptible — tiie minute black spot in the centre of 

 each bud told the certain loss of the coveted crop 

 of fruit. Just before this time the weather had 

 been (piite warm, and the buds were much swollen 

 and extremely sensitive. In the winter of '56-7 

 the thermometer indicated a lower temperature 

 even than this, and yet the peach crop in this sec- 

 tion was a good one. From ibis we perceive that 

 we have more to fear from mild weather in winter 

 than from cold. 



As we have before remarked, the peach crop here 

 may be called a total failure;- yet we have seen 

 many trees, both of peaches and apricots, in differ- 

 ent parts of this city, where they are protected by 

 buildings on the north and west, which have on 

 them tolerable crops of fruit. 



It has occurred to us that some system of pro- 

 teujtlng peach trees may be adopted which will at 

 tlje same time lessen the effect of the sun's rays in 

 the winter season and also 2:)rotect from extreme 

 cold winds. The peach tree is different in its form 

 from all other fruit trees. Instead of having a 



straight trunk, from which at regular intervals 

 branches start out on every side, like the cherry or 

 pear, or even many sorts of apple trees, it usually, 

 at the distance of three to five feet from the ground, 

 makes three or four strong branches, which spread 

 out from each other, leaving the centre of the tree 

 open; and it is on the extremities of these branches, 

 on the small shoots of the previous year's growth, 

 that the fruit is borne. Thus the amount of wood 

 that needs protection on the peach tree is small, 

 compared with the bearing surface of most other 

 fruit trees. Cherry, pear, and apple trees, for in- 

 stance, bear their fruit on spurs, which are pro- 

 duced all over the tree, and especially on the older 

 parts. To protect these trees, therefore, it would 

 be necessary to cover the whole top of the tree; 

 but the peach tree needs to have only the ends of 

 the branches bearing the young wood to be cov- 

 ered. The small shoots and limbs of tlie peach 

 areas limber as willows, and may be bent and com- 

 pressed without injury; and it would not be im- 

 possible to wind about the extremeties of each 

 branch a straw band that would afford ample pro- 

 tection to the buds — three or four bands, or as 

 many as there are main branches, would be suffi- 

 cient for a tree. The bands could be put on any 

 time in the month of December, as we seldom have 

 very severe weather before January, and removed 

 about the first of March. The exi)ense of this op- 

 eration would not be great, as it would be done at 

 a season of the year when the orchardist or farmer 

 has usually plenty of time. The bands could be 

 made at the barn or stack, before commencing to 

 put them on, and then provided with a good self- 

 supporting step-ladder a handy man would easily 

 wind twenty or twenty-five trees in a day. A 

 strong objection against this practice is that a heavy 

 fall of snow, accompanied witJi wind, would be 

 apt to break and split the trees. The whole top 

 of the tree might, however, be encircled with a 

 band of straw, or some other material which would 

 hold it firm. 



"We have no doubt these remarks are premature 

 and perhaps impracticable, but they may serve to 

 direct public attention to this matter, and result 

 in the discovery of some cheap and effi(;ient pro- 

 tection to the peach tree. 



Contrary to the expectations of all the weather- 

 wise, whose faces were only longer and more 

 clouded by being shone upon by a winter's sun, the 

 spring was unusually early and warm. Vegetation 

 advanced with great rapidity, and during the blos- 

 soming of the fruit trees we were quite exempt 

 from those severe east winds which frequently prove 

 so injurious to the fruit while in this nascent state. 



