ROEDING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



BRINGING AN ORCHARD OR VINEYARD 

 INTO BEARING 



Just in the proportion that the orchard receives in- 

 tensive and intelligent care, will it give corresponding 

 returns on the investment of capital, time and labor. 

 Above all things, do not plant too many varieties if you 

 desire to be a factor in the business. As an illustration, 

 it is a mistake to have a different variety on each acre, 

 for when this orchard comes into bearing there are so 

 many varieties and so limited a quantity of each that 

 the commercial packer of dried or canned fruits does 

 not feel inclined to pay what the fruit is worth, because 

 there is not enough of any one kind to make it an object 

 for him to handle it. 



The handling and marketing of fruit has assumed 

 such vast proportions that there are always commercial 

 institutions eager enough to enter a new field and ex- 

 ploit it as soon as the production is large enough to en- 

 courage the building of packing houses for the handling 

 of any particular product. Another serious mistake on 

 the part of many growers is to endeavor ^o harvest big 

 crops when their trees are only two years old. This 

 is an unwise policy and in many cases sacrifices the 

 tree, resulting in its not producing profitable crops 

 when it should be in its prime, and in consequence of 

 this requiring extraordinary care to restore it to its 

 proper vigor. Tlie care bestowed for the first two 

 or three years in cultivating, pruning and irrigating, 

 where the rainfall is insufficient to carry the trees 

 through the long dry summer months, is the foundation 

 for the upbuilding of an orchard which will redound to 

 the credit of the owner and give him ample returns for 

 his intelligent care and years of hard work. 



Next to the thorough cultivation there is nothing 

 which is more vital to the life of a tree than proper 

 irrigation. It is difficult to lay down specific rules on 

 this point, but there are basic ones which can generally 

 be observed in the handling of most deciduous trees, 

 with some exceptions, and instructions pertaining to 

 such cases will be. dwelt on under proper heads. 



MUST BE CUT BACK 



After a tree is set never fail to cut it back. This is 

 now the general practice among the most successful 

 orchardists throughout California, and is the result of 

 years of experience* The following winter from three to 

 four branches, properly distributed around the body of 

 the tree, should be allowed to remain to form the head, 

 and each one of these branches should have at least 

 one-half of their growth removed, cutting away all 

 laterals from them also. These leaders will eventually 

 form the framework of the tree. The first year's 

 pruning will result in the trees making an immense 

 growth and also induce them to grow stocky. The 

 second winter heavy thinning will have to be fol- 

 lowed and the pruning should be done with a view of 

 causing the framework branches to spread out. There 

 may be some variation from these instructions, there- 

 fore it is advisable to read carefully the information 

 given under each head. The many advantages of this 

 method of pruning are : (1 ) it makes a low-crowned and 

 a more stocky tree, affording an umbrageous head, and 



thus protecting it from the hot rays of the scorching 

 summer sun; (2) it enhances the carrying capacity of 

 the tree, thus avoiding artificial props when maturing 

 a crop of fruit; (3) it expedites the harvesting of the 

 crop by rendering it more accessible to the pickers, 

 thus economizing time and expense; (4) it prolongs the 

 life of the tree by reason of conserving its vital forces 

 and rendering it less liable to damage in the breaking 

 of limbs and taxing its strength by carrying its fruits 

 "close in." 



IRRIGATION 



During the first season for deciduous trees in districts 

 where irrigation is practised, water should be applied 

 not less than four times during the year. For the first 

 two years it is not necessary to irrigate all of the ground 

 between the rows. A space six feet wide will answer the 

 necessary requirements in nearly all cases. 



The planter should never lose sight of one important 

 fact, and that is, if the orchard or vineyard can be 

 maintained in a thrifty, vigorous condition thorough 

 cultivation is recommended as being preferable to an 

 irrigation. 



THE APPLE 



In the temperate zone no variety of fruit is so widely 

 distributed or has been more extensively planted than 

 the apple. The list of varieties is amazing. "Down- 

 ing's Fruits" alone lists about 3500 sorts. 



Varieties are variable as to localities, and in planting 

 in sections where apple culture is pursued commercially 

 the advice -as to the best varieties to plant should be 

 sought from experienced growers. Broadly speaking, 

 the hot interior valleys are not suitable for commercial 

 apple culture, on a large scale, as the very rapid and 

 early maturing of the fruit does not seem to be con- 

 ducive to long-keeping, as found in tried localities where 

 .conditions are favorable for perfecting fruit having 

 long-keeping qualities. Nevertheless, it is a fact that 

 where moisture is readily maintained in a soil by either 

 irrigation or by sub-irrigation, many varieties are of 

 such exceptionally large size, present so fine an appear- 

 ance and are of such excellent flavor that more attention 

 should be given to their culture. 



SOIL AND SITUATION 



The best soil for this fruit is a deep, rich loam which 

 will allow the free extension of the roots and is exempt 

 from stagnant water. An extremely light soil should be 

 avoided. Apples do exceedingly well in all the coast 

 counties, as well as in the upper foothills and mountains 

 of the Sierra Nevada. In adjacent states and terri- 

 tories to the north and east, apple culture is more gen- 

 eral, and may be safely followed whereverHhe soil and 

 climate is favorable. The keeping qualities and the 

 flavor and coloring of our mountain-grown apples at 

 elevations of 3000 to 5000 feet or more, are indeed hard 

 to surpass. 



California's great apple center is located in the 

 vicinity of Watsonville. There exists in that section 

 a combination of soil and climate which causes 'apples 

 not only to be of good quality but excellent keepers. 



