CLOSE ROOT-PRUNING. 23 



long roots. Of course, removing some of the smaller fruit 

 would somewhat increase the size of the balance, but all will 

 be large, and thinning might be necessary only to keep the 

 limbs from breaking. Give full distance between the rows of 

 all close root-pruned fruit trees, and run them north and 

 south, if practicable. Trees propagated from settled bearing 

 ones will fruit full the third year for peaches, apricots and 

 plums, and the fourth or fifth year for pears and apples, and 

 it will be economy to plant in the rows of the latter fruits an 

 extra tree between, to fruit for five or ten years, until those 

 intended to make the permanent orchard require the space. 

 Air and sunshine are necessities for bright, clean, high-col- 

 ored fruit, and shade breeds fungi, except on grapes, which 

 often thrive in it. 



I append the following note of comment on the above 

 article by that prince of careful, painstaking originators, 

 whose name is known and honored wherever fruit is grown, 

 Mr. Luther Burbank, to whom I sent a copy at the time. 



SANTA ROSA, January 8, 1896. 

 H. M. STRINGFELLOW. 



Dear Sir Thanks for your courtesy in sending me your very val- 

 uable and thought- suggesting essay. From my own past experience, 

 I believe you are right. I have used for years a one- inch root and 

 five-inch scion for root-grafting, and, strange to say, in an experi- 

 ment ten years ago to test the matter, I used one-inch roots with 

 five-inch scions, and from the same lot of roots and scions some 

 three-inch roots and three-inch scions. In the long rows thus under 

 test, I could see no difference (apple and pear) in the stand, but in 

 the case of the pears, the shorter roots produced the largest and best 

 trees. Apples were nearly alike. I usually cut back very heavily, 

 but so far have not practiced such heroic treatment as you suggest. 

 But as I said before, think you are right, and shall test it here. If 

 it be true, what a grand result your studies have led up to, and in 

 any case can result only in good ! 



Sincerely yours, 



LUTHER BURBANK. 



