1546 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OP PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



conditions of culture, and within limits 

 varying for different soils and crops, pro- 

 duction is almost directly proportional to 

 the water supply during the period of ac- 

 tive vegetation." 



"Whitneyt claims that the moisture sup- 

 ply in the soil is the only important fac- 

 tor to be regarded by the cultivator in 

 most soils, all other factors being, in 

 general, provided for naturally. 



A generation ago Johnson§ wrote- "It 

 is a well-recognized fact that next to 

 temperature, the water supply is the most 

 influential factor in the product of a crop. 

 Poor soils give good crops in seasons of 

 plentiful and well-distributed ram or 

 when skilfully irrigated, but insuflacient 

 moisture in the soil is an evil that no 

 supplies of plant food can neutralize " 



The trend of this discussion is obvious. 

 The peach grower must use all possible 

 means to provide water for his trees in 

 the dry summer months. After having 

 selected land naturally retentive of 

 moisture or having a supply in the sub- 

 soil, making sure that the drainage is 

 good, all that can be done is: 



First: Supply organic matter to make 

 the soil more capable of holding water 



Second: By continuous cultivation 

 conserve as far as possible the rainfall. 



1 Circular No. 15, N Y. Experiment Station. 



Laying Down Peacli Trees for Protectian 



of Buds 



Colorado Method 



The area of successful culture of the 

 peach can be greatly extended if a prac- 

 tical means of protection against severe 

 winter cold and late spring frosts can be 

 found. The Colorado station has recently 

 called attention to the successful employ- 

 ment in that state of the method of lay- 

 ing down and covering peach trees in 

 winter. The method as practiced in 

 Colorado apparently does not differ es- 

 sentially from that tested by Prof. S. T. 

 Maynard at the Massachusetts Experi- 

 ment Station as early as 1886 and dur- 

 ing the succeeding years, except that in 



«< n^T>^n^?P*S^*^?^i Agriculture, Bureau of 

 Soils, Bulletin 22 1903 



§ How Crops Feed n 216, "by Samuel W 



Johnson, New York- 1870. 



the Colorado method irrigation water is 

 used to soften the soil so that the trees 

 may be laid over without any special 

 training or pruning of the roots. The 

 Colorado method, as described by Profes- 

 sor Paddock, is as follows: 



"Yearling trees are set in the spring and 

 they should be laid down the first winter, 

 repeating the process each season during 

 the life of the tree. In this instance no 

 attention is given to training or placing 

 the roots. As soon as the trees have shed 

 their leaves and the wood is well ripen- 

 ed they are ready for winter quarters. 

 * * * The first step in the operation con- 

 sists in removing the earth from a circle 

 about four feet in diameter around the 

 tree. When sufficient trees have been 

 treated in this manner to make the work 

 progress advantageously, water is turned 

 into the hollows. After the ground has 

 become saturated the trees are worked 

 back and forth and the water follows the 

 roots, loosening the soil around them so 

 that they are pushed over in the direc- 

 tion that offers the least resistance. 

 When treated in this manner the trees 

 go over easily and with comparatively 

 little injury to the root system — that is, 

 providing the trees have been laid down 

 each year. It is difficult to handle old 

 trees in this manner that have never been 

 laid down, and usually it will not pay to 

 try. 



"After the trees are on the ground 

 further work should be delayed until the 

 ground has dried sufficiently to admit of 

 ease in walking, and in the handling of 

 the dirt The limbs may now be brought 

 together with a cord, and so lessen the 

 work of covering 



"After experimenting with many kinds 

 of covering, burlap held in place with 

 earth has proved the most satisfactory. 

 The burlap is spread out over the pros- 

 trate tree top, taking special pains to 

 protect the blossom buds from coming in 

 direct contact with the earth covering. 

 A light layer of earth is now thrown 

 over the tree and the protection is com- 

 plete. 



"The critical time in growing peaches by 

 this method is in the spring when grow- 



