31 



Question. In the way of commercial fertilizers to feed the 

 orchard, what would you use? What kinds, in what proportion 

 and how much? 



Prof. Fagan. I believe you have Prof. Stewart on the pro- 

 gram, and as he has been working among fertilizers, perhaps he 

 will answer that question. Phosphoric acid i6% pure is all right. 

 I would add actual nitrate of soda to the peach orchard somewhere 

 around 15 lbs. Not over that. 



W. E. Grove. Do you think it practicable to do all your 

 shipping by express ? 



Prof. Fagan. It is according to how much the basket is going 

 to cost you to get it into the market. It would probably be 12 cts. 

 to 20 cts. per basket. If 12 cts. I would say that you would make 

 money at that. 



Mr. Newcomer. Do the little hair-like roots on peach trees 

 indicate crown gall? 



Prof. Fagan. Not at all. The hair-like roots on peach trees 

 are no indication of crown gall. When you get peach trees some 

 varieties are that way and others have nice, large roots, but some 

 varieties have too many of those fine, fibrous roots. 



Question. Do you object to that kind, or do you prefer it 

 to others that are a little larger ? 



Prof. Fagan. Not at all. We would trim off the other roots 

 to a few straight roots, and then plant them. Those small roots will 

 die anyway when they are put in the ground. 



Question. Professor, do you think extreme cold winters and 

 extremely hot summers have anything to do with bringing on peach 

 yellows ? 



Prof. Fagan. No, I do not think it has anything to do with it. 

 A weakened condition of the tree subjects it to any form of insect 

 injury or disease injury. That is the only way that a hard winter 

 or a hot summer would have any effect on the presence of such 

 diseases. 



We generally believed that peach trees were short-lived. Some 

 of them will live to be 25 or 30 years old and still are good. We 

 do not care how old a tree is, so that it brings in the peaches, that 

 is what we are looking for. 



Question No. 14. Wanted — Experience of a fruit grower 

 who has used barnyard manure freely on peaches? 



Prof. Fagan. I have known of barnyard manure being used 

 to good advantage in the bearing peach orchard. A winter dressing 

 of about five tons to the acre annually has been followed by con- 

 secutive crops of peaches and I believe it to be a good thing. 



Question No. 15. How can we prevent rot of peaches? 



Prof. Fagan. You can prevent rot in peaches, first by good 

 pruning, getting all the benefit from sunlight possible. Th;en 

 spray with self-boiled lime sulphur. (See Pennsylvania Experi- 

 ment Station bulletin, entitled "Peaches for Pennsylvania", by 



