54 THINNING THE FRUIT. 



side of the tree than the other l)y an occasional root-pruning, 

 there can be little difficulty in bending- over even large trees, and 

 little injury need result to the tree. 



Standing up or tying pine boughs or corn stover in among the 

 branches has been also suggested, and might be easily and cheap- 

 ly accomplished if the trees are trained low. The high price 

 whicli tlioroughly ripe native fruit commands, will warrant con- 

 siderable expense in the application of any system that will in- 

 sure a crop every season. 



Thinning the Fruit. — Of all the large fruits cultivated per- 

 haps none are more beneflted by thinning than the Peach. The 

 tree is very likely, when it does prodiice a crop, to set so many 

 blossoms that the tree will be almost certain to be injured in its 

 attempt to ripen the crop. The annual pruning or shortening-in 

 is beneficial by removing nearly one-half of the fruit buds, but 

 it will be found tliat one-half of those remaining may generally 

 be removed. When the fruit has reached from one-fourth to 

 one-half inch in diameter, tlie trees should be examined and all 

 imperfect specimens removed. Only one good specimen should 

 be left on the short spurs of from one to five inches in length; 

 and on the longer brandies, oidy one to each five inches of wood. 

 The quantity of fruit will not be diminished, on account of the in- 

 creased size of each specimen, while the number of seeds matured 

 will be lessened. Now the injury to the tree results from its ef- 

 fort in ripening a large number of seeds, rather than in the pulp 

 that surrounds them, hence the wisdom of thinning the fruit on 

 this account alone. 



Classification. — The fruit is divided into two great classes, 

 the " white fleshed " and " yellow fleshed" varieties. These may 

 be again divided into "freestones" and "clingstones," — those in 

 which the stone does not adhere to the pulp, and varieties in 

 which the flesh clings to the stone. 



The varieties of both classes that are most desirable in this 

 latitude, are given in the order of ripening: 



YELLOW FLESHED VARIETIES. 



Crawford's Early. — A fine, large Peach, of good quality, ripen- 

 ing early in September. The tree is very vigorous and produc- 

 tive, but not quite as hardy as some of the white-fleshed varie- 

 ties. It brings the highest price in the market, and is a tree- 

 stone variety. 



Crawford's Late. — Very similar to the above, but perhaps a 

 little larger and more hardy; ripens the last of September; free- 

 stone. 



WHITE FLESHED VARIETIES. 



Waterloo. — Medium to large, of fair quality, and ripening 

 about the first of August; (dingstone. 



Early Rivers. — Medium to large; creamy white in color, and 

 of good quality ; August. 



