112 POMOLOGY 



The same observation is made by Gould ^ who says: "The 

 effect on the tree (peach) of wise thinning extends far beyond 

 the current crop, for it is a mortgage on future crops if the 

 tree is seriously depleted by overbearing." 



With the apple, however, the evidence is not satisfactory 

 and usually the statements are general and without sufficient 

 experimental evidence. It is possible that thinning younger 

 trees may promote annual bearing, but there is no satisfac- 

 tory evidence to present on this point. It is probable that 

 growers may be inclined to credit one practice with the 

 results obtained when several factors are involved, and thus 

 'prejudiced statements arise. 



Downing's writings ranked high in the pomological litera- 

 ture of a half a century ago, and his statement may be cited 

 as fairly typical of others. "When half the fruit is thinned 

 out in a young state, leaving only a moderate crop, the apple, 

 like other fruit trees, will bear every year, as it will also if the 

 soil is kept in high condition. The bearing year of an apple 

 tree, or a whole orchard, may be changed by picking off the 

 fruit when the trees show good crops, allowing it to remain 

 only in the alternate seasons which we wish to make the 

 bearing year." - 



Against this statement of Downing the work of Beach ^ 

 must be considered, in which after four years' investigation 

 he says, "It will not, on mature, well established trees, 

 materially influence the regularity of production or the 

 amount of fruit setting for subsequent crops. The profit, if 

 there be any, must come from the crop thinned." Also, 

 Auchter ^ after five years' work on this subject, "while final 



1 Gould, H. P. Peach-Growing, p. 299, New York, 1918. Rural 

 Science Series. 



2 Downing, A. J. Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, p. 63. 1900. 

 ^ Beach, S. A. Loco cit. 



* Auchter, E. C. Loco cit. 



