44 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



observation. It is that of some peach trees, five years 

 planted and of large, spreading growth, which were cut 

 back in early spring to within three feet or so of the trunk. 

 They threw out a rank growth of shoots from all over the 

 stubs of branches that were left. A few of the trees died 

 outright the first season, without making growth ; a few 

 others were condemned the second and third years for yel- 

 lows. These were so loose in the soil that, though the 

 trunks were large and the roots had been coarse and strong, 

 yet they could almost be turned over by the hand. Most 

 of the roots had died, from no other cause, apparently, 

 than that the tops had been cut off, leaving so few leaf-buds 

 to work up the sap fed them from the roots that the roots 

 died from the shock of such heroic treatment. We see 

 some cases of orchard pruning, or grafting, where the trees 

 are treated much in the same way, the whole or nearly the 

 whole top being taken off at once. 



The advisability of such wholesale pruning depends, of 

 course, on what is to be gained by it. It seems to be a 

 fact, however, that unless the leaf supply can be quickly 

 restored, the cutting off of the top also destroys the roots. 

 In orchard pruning we need to guard against cutting away 

 overmuch of the top and destroying the balance between 

 leaves and roots for too long a time; both are needed to 

 form buds and fruit. 



How to keep fruit-bearing plants and trees at their best 

 has long been a problem — the greatest problem, I believe, 

 with which we horticulturists have to deal. We have to look 

 in many directions and to keep in mind many things, but 

 I hazard the opinion that none of these many things are 

 more important, or offer greater hopes of success, than the 

 matter of obtaining and retaining perfect foliage till the 

 mission of the leaf is done. 



The two most popular tree fruits of today are the 

 peach and the Japan plum, and the}^ have the most perfect 

 and enduring foliage. Delicious, beautiful and abundant 

 are their fruits, but how much lower would a just estima- 

 tion place them if an unmanageable blight should denude 

 them of their leaves ? 



European plums, having apparently a tougher leaf, need 



