THE POMEGRANATE AND THE JUJUBE 379 



rows, and under such conditions are ordinarily not more than 

 6 or 8 feet apart; but close planting and the permitting of 

 development of suckers from the base of the plant naturally 

 are detrimental to fruit-production. 



Cultural practices in California have been described by Robert 

 W. Hodgson, in "The Pomegranate." l The following extracts 

 are taken from his publication : 



" Pomegranate trees should be planted as early in the spring as the 

 ground can readily be worked and is not too wet. However, as the 

 pomegranate starts growth comparatively late in the spring, late 

 planting is not accompanied by such disastrous effects as with the 

 stone fruits. The best results seem to be obtained by planting in 

 February and March. 



" If the soil is in good condition, little care other than irrigation 

 and two or three cultivations during the season is needed after planting. 

 In older orchards the soil should be stirred at least once a month during 

 the growing season. 



" Some growers irrigate but little, while others apply as much as they 

 give then* citrus orchards. ... If we set the water requirements of 

 orange trees at fifty inches, including the rainfall, we may consider 

 that the pomegranate requires thirty-five to forty inches. Some of 

 this water comes as rain in the winter season. The rest is usually 

 applied in two to five irrigations, distributed through the growing 

 season. Some growers irrigate until July only. Others apply water 

 once a month until September. The furrow system is used almost 

 universally. 



" To prune intelligently, one must consider the fruiting habit, and 

 habit of growth of the tree. The pomegranate is a vigorous grower, 

 sending up each year a number of shoots from the root which gives the 

 plant a bush form unless otherwise trained. The fruit is borne termi- 

 nally on short spurs produced on slow-growing mature wood. This 

 wood bears for several years, but as the tree increases in size this wood 

 loses its fruiting habit, which is assumed by the younger growth. 

 Little or no fruit is produced in the interior of the tree. 



" Bearing this in mind, it can clearly be seen that a heavy pruning, 

 especially shortening in of the older wood, will greatly reduce the crop 

 for the next two or three years. 



" When the tree is planted it should be cut back to a whip at about 24 

 to 30 inches from the ground. As the buds put out and shoots are 

 produced, these should be selected and thinned out to three or five or 



'Bull. 276, Calif. Agr. Exp. Sta. 



