THE THINNING OF FRUIT 119 



thinned to three times the diameter of the largest fruits at 

 maturity while Wickson suggests that two and a half times 

 the diameter of the fruit desired would be the proper dis- 

 tance. Herrick found it desirable to thin Winesap to nine or 

 ten inches apart for the best results. Of course, the smaller 

 the fruit, the more it should be thinned, and conversely 

 the larger the fruit by nature the less it should be thinned, 

 except to prevent the breaking of branches. 



In some regions, the recommendation is to remove all 

 fruit from alternate spurs in order to bring about annual 

 bearing. In all cases the thimiing should be uniform and 

 the work thoroughly done as the operation progresses, to 

 insure satisfactoiy results. 



106. Cost of thinning versus returns. — The task of 

 thinning a large orchard of mature trees when they have set 

 a heavy crop of fruit seems formidable and the question 

 naturally arises as to whether it will pay. However, if the 

 cost is computed to a tree basis or to a still smaller unit, the 

 barrel or box, it will not seem impracticable. It will de- 

 pend, of course, largely on how the fruit is to be handled. 

 The cost of thimiing reduces itself to a question of time since 

 no particular apparatus is necessary, and this will depend 

 on the size and shape of the tree, the variety, and the person 

 doing the work. 



Since the factors are so variable in this regard, it is diffi- 

 cult to average conditions, but the following cases are cited : 



New Hampshire. Trees 35 years old. Average 4^ hours 

 to a tree in one case (4 trees). Average 2yi hours to a tree 

 in another case (4 trees). 



New York. Average 33^^ hours to a tree (4 mature trees), 



Ohio. Trees 17 years old; 1% to 2^ hours to a tree. 



West Virginia. Middle-aged trees bearing 4 to 6 barrels 

 to the tree. Average 2 to 3 hours to a tree. 



Colorado. Average a little less than 3 hours to a tree. 



