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Member. What does a grape hoe cost? 

 Mr. Bassett. Mine cost $i8 or $19. 

 Member. Where do you buy them? 



Mr. Bassett. I bought mine in Syracuse ; I do not know 

 where you can buy them. 



Member. They make them at Northeast. 



E. C. Tyson. Mr. Hiester uses the Grape Hoe. 



Member. Is it a small plow? 



Mr. Bassett. No ; it has a little cultivator attachment. It 

 simply slides along. The Disc is on the handle part, so it can wind 

 in and out. One horse draws it along. With it you can get around 

 close to the tree, and plow the soil. 



Member. Did you ever use the Acme? 



Mr. Bassett. No, sir ; I do not like it as well as the full Disc. 



Member. I would like to ask Mr. Bassett how much he would 

 cut back the peach tree at the first year's growth. 



Mr. Bassett. Well, sir; we watch our young trees, and when 

 the buds begin to start, we select four buds, being careful to not get 

 them together, — four buds that will eventually become the head of 

 the tree, — and rub off the rest. These four buds are watched. If 

 one is destroyed, we can find another, and produce a limb in its 

 place. That new growth is the next year cut off about one-half. 

 That will strengthen the tree and give it form and size. It is a 

 great deal easier to rub the buds off with the fingers than it is to go 

 out and saw them off when they have become limbs. You will find, 

 however, that where a bud is rubbed off, its place will be taken by 

 others, tending to produce a brushy section. You must be careful., 

 and continue to rub these off, keeping the growth in subjection. 

 What we want to remember is, that in bearing wood, we want root 

 system, not a big top. Most growers seem anxious to get a big top — 

 a forest tree, — when in reality he should aim to get a big root system. 



Member. I think, if our friend will take a branch and cut it 

 off at the crotch, he will never have another single sprouting. 



Member. What are the first symptoms of the Little Peach? 



Mr. Bassett. It resembles the yellows. It does not have so 

 much wiry growth. At a distance the tree looks as if it is dying ; it 

 makes new growth out on the limbs. With the yellows the growth 

 would be from the trunk. There is less wiry growth from the 

 trunk in the Little Peach. The fruit remains small and is delayed 

 in ripening. 



Member. How many years do you continue cutting back one- 

 half? 



Mr. Bassett. Until the tree comes into bearing; and then 

 watch the tree, and if it makes more growth than you want, do more 

 cutting. Have an idea how you want the tree to be, and cut ac- 

 cording to the amount of growth the tree makes, and according to 

 the amount of food received. 



Member. Do you spray for Black Rot? 



Mr. Bassett. Yes, sir; we sprayed this year with Lime Sul- 

 phur, and had pretty good results. We used a very weak solution ; 

 we were afraid of burning the foliage. Our Elbertas are quite in- 

 clined to having the rot, and we succeeded in cleaning it out pretty 

 nicely. 



