452 BOAKD OF AGRICULTUKE. [Pub. Doc. 



by watching the growth of the peach trees. If the trees make an aver- 

 age growth of 18 inches or more every year, and if the fohage is large, 

 dark colored and slightly wrinkled, one may feel satisfied that there 

 is nitrogen enough available for the trees. On the other hand, if the 

 growth is less than 1 foot annually, if the foliage is yellow and drops 

 early from the trees, it is plain that more nitrogen should be given. 

 The simplest and cheapest method of applying this element of plant 

 food is doubtless in the form of nitrate of soda. Our experience has 

 shown that this chemical is entirely acceptable to peach trees, and 

 that it produces excellent results. It should be applied in quantities 

 of 100 pounds to the acre, just after the leaves come out. In case the 

 trees are carrying a crop of fruit, and especially in case they are not 

 in most vigorous health, it will be well to make the appUcation of nitro- 

 gen a little heavier, and to put it on in two dressings. The first should 

 be given just after growth starts, and the second one when the peaches 

 are a little larger than robins' eggs. 



Dr. Van Slyke suggests the following formula for fertilizing peach 

 trees: nitrate of soda, 50 pounds; dried blood, 100 pounds; cotton- 

 seed meal, 200 pounds; acid phosphate, 600 pounds; muriate of pot- 

 ash, 240 pounds; this makes a total of 1,190 pounds, which should be 

 the maximum application for an acre. As a rule, about half that 

 amount would be a sufficient annual appUcation for soils of reasonable 

 fertility. 



There is a strong prejudice against the late application of fertilizers 

 on peach trees, and against late cultivation, on the ground that it 

 induces a strong, soft growth of wood in the latter part of the year. 

 The theory is that this wood is frozen back during the winter, and the 

 tree thereby injured. While no direct experiments have been made 

 on this point, it must be said that our rather extensive observations 

 at the Massachusetts Agricultural College have strongly discounted this 

 theory. In our experience, the trees which make the most vigorous 

 growth are the ones which best withstand the heavy winters. 



Pruning. 



The peach orchard requires more thorough and regular pruning 

 than the apple orchard, and this is saying a good deal. This matter 

 should have attention as often as once a year. In fact, the writer is 

 fully convinced that the best results in managing a peach orchard 

 cannot be secured with less than two general prunings annually. 

 One of these should be given in early spring, about March 1, and the 

 other in midsummer, usually during the last half of June. Summer 

 pruning, rightly conducted, is very advantageous in controlling the 

 growth of peach trees. 



If the top of the tree is rightly formed at the beginning, as explained 

 in the paragraph on planting, there will be no great difficulty in form- 

 ing a strong symmetrical head on every peach tree in the orchard. As 



