THE CHASE NURSERIES, GENEVA, NEW YORK 
23 
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Fig. C. Showing latest and 
best method of trimming a Peach 
tree before planting. This forms 
a low-headed tree from the top 
three or four buds. 
PEACHES, continued 
Probably no other fruit trees re- 
quire more careful thought and study 
in relation to pruning than Peaches, 
and it is our endeavor to give our 
customers all possible information 
along these lines. 
It is well to remember that the 
fruit comes from buds that were 
formed the previous year. It will 
therefore be easy to see that an entire 
Peach crop can be destroyed by cut- 
ting off the previous year's growth of 
wood. A limited amount of pruning 
of the previous year's growth of wood 
is sometimes necessary in order to 
thin the fruit; in fact, it is well to do 
this to a certain extent by cutting oiT 
the ends of the limbs, which causes 
them to branch and become more 
stocky, thus preventing the fruit be- 
ing borne on long, angling limbs 
which are so easy to break or split off. 
.'Xnother result of such pruning is 
that the tree will make more bearing 
wood for the next year, and the fruit is 
kept nearer the ground where it is easier to gather. 
The pruning may also be made to serve as a thinning process, 
for there is a very general neglect of this part of Peach culture. 
Prof. Bailey says that "no two Peaches should stand closer on the 
same branch than 5 or 6 inches." Peach trees that are regularly 
thinned should bear every year — unless injured by winter or 
spring frosts. The thinning of the fruit by hand may be delayed until after the "June drop," 
for the fruit will then be of a 
size easily handled. 
Peach trees will thrive on al- 
most any soil, providing the cli- 
mate and location are congenial. 
The best Peaches are grown on 
land that is light and sandy, al- 
though they may be raised on 
heavy land if they are planted 
some distance apart and pruned 
to open tops to admit the sun. 
The orchard should be given 
the very best care, both in cul- 
tivating and fertilizing. The 
proper fertilizers for Peach or- 
chards contain potash, and 
phosphoric acid, with a mini- 
mum amount of nitrogen. 
Ashes, muriate of potash and 
bone fertilizers, are among the 
best for Peaches. A too gener- 
ous use of barnyard manure 
tends to produce too much 
wood, especially on heavy lands. 
Frequent cultivation of the 
soil from May until August, with 
a late cover-crop to be plowed 
Fig. B. Showing Peach tree 
trimmed according to the old 
method in preparation for trans- 
planting. 
Elberta Peach 
