1882.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
113 
The Profit from Thinning Peaches. 
BY PROF. W. JT. BEAL, MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 
The Hon. A. S. Dyckman, of South Haven, 
Mich., is a noted grower of fine peaches. 
One of the leading points in the manage¬ 
ment of his orchard is that of liberally thin¬ 
ning the young fruit. In 1877 from one Early 
Crawford tree, set 17 years, he thinned at 
one time 8,000 peaches, and at another 2,000, 
making 10,000 in all, from a tree which finally 
yielded about 15 baskets of choice fruit. One 
man would spend a day in thinning four to 
six trees. The cost of thinning peaches does 
not exceed five cents a basket for those 
ripened. He estimates the cost of 
thinning his peach crop in 1877 at 
$500. Peaches were plenty that 
year, but he received extra prices 
for fine, large fruit, which had lit¬ 
tle competition. He has practised 
thinning for several years, and is 
assured that the excellent reputa¬ 
tion which his fruit enjoys is due 
to this. In pruning, he removes 
one-third of the small limbs. He 
then removes nine-tenths of the 
young peaches, leaving no two 
nearer than six inches of each 
other. He has fewer specimens to 
handle, but about as many bushels 
as though he had not thinned. We 
have similar testimony from J. J. 
Thomas, E. Moody, President 
Wilder, and others, as to the 
utility of thinning apples, pears, 
etc., as well as peaches. Mr. Geo. Parmelee, 
of Grand Traverse County, says, that in 
one year peaches on a thinned tree brought 
$2.50 per basket, while the fruit from a 
neighboring tree of the same variety, but un¬ 
thinned, brought him only $1.25 per basket. 
It pays to thin fruit when young. It costs 
less than one would suppose until he tries it. 
No one who has fairly tried the experiment, 
and seen the result, will abandon the practice. 
The “American Wonder” Pea. 
An account of the origin of the “ American 
Wonder ” Pea was given in January, last year, 
and we have from time to time presented our 
own experience with it in two years’ cultiva¬ 
tion. We now notice this variety to show 
how extended trials abroad, as well as at 
home, have sustained our opinion as to its 
value. Heretofore, all of our good peas have 
been of English origin, and it is a matter of 
no little gratification to us, and of consider¬ 
able astonishment to Europeans, to find an 
American pea walk right by their old favor¬ 
ites, and take its place at the head. Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, the great seed-growers of 
Reading, Eng., after a thorough trial, give 
this pea the highest praise, and in their cata¬ 
logue for this spring have a half-page en¬ 
graving showing the appearance of their 
field of this variety. An equally high esti¬ 
mate is placed upon it by Ernest Benary, the 
noted seed-grower of Prussia. It is now 
offered by seedsmen generally. The accom¬ 
panying engraving is an exact representation 
of a portion of a row, and from our experi¬ 
ence, we are sure that the artist has not used 
his imagination in depicting its wonderfully 
prolific character. We look upon the pro¬ 
duction of this pea as one of the most im¬ 
portant steps made, of late, in its department 
of horticulture. Green peas are generally 
esteemed as the most delicious of vegetables; 
yet every one who has a garden is aware that 
their production requires a deal of trouble. 
The work of getting brush and of sticking 
peas, or of supplying any substitute in the 
shape of a wire or other trellis, is a rather 
high price to pay for one or two pickings of 
peas. The introduction of a good dwarf 
variety greatly simplifies pea culture. We 
have had a number of dwarf peas heretofore ; 
these were productive, but not good, or good, 
but not prolific. In the ‘ ‘ American Wonder ” 
we have the very highest excellence combined 
with abundant yield. On good soil, this 
variety may be sown in rows 18 inches apart. 
It is early, being ready for the table in 30 to 
35 days after sowing. By putting in succes¬ 
sive sowings, at intervals of a week or less, a 
succession can be kept up until the weather 
becomes too hot for successful culture. Few 
of our tall peas, save, perhaps, the “Champion 
of England,” in favorable seasons, give more 
than one full picking and a following poor 
one, and we cannot expect more from this 
dwarf. In market gardens it is regarded as 
a good feature if a variety yield its whole 
crop at one picking. We do not know that 
the “ American Wonder” has been grown as 
a market pea, but we have no doubt, con¬ 
sidering how near the rows may be, that it 
will be found profitable. Of all choice vege¬ 
tables, peas are less frequently found on the 
fanner’s table than any other kind. The 
work of sticking tall peas comes when the 
time cannot be afforded, and if the family 
have green peas more than once or twice 
they are fortunate. We especially welcome 
this new variety for the reason that it will 
allow the farmer, or whoever has the land, 
to have green peas, of the best quality in 
abundance, several times a week, as long as 
the season lasts. Those who do not feel that 
they can purchase seed for an abundance of 
peas this season, can buy enough to raise 
the seed for a full feast of peas next year. 
Raising a Crop of Onions, 
The price of onions is exceedingly variable, 
and in each season of high prices many have 
their attention turned to their cultivation; 
consequently we have many questions on the 
subject. The onion crop is not one that can 
be profitably grown one year and dropped 
the next. It is usually the case that those 
who continue the cultivation year after year, 
are those who in the long run make it profit¬ 
able. It is of little use to try to raise onions, 
except on highly manured land, and without 
being able to give the labor required in weed¬ 
ing just at the needed time. Land that has 
been for two or more years in com or pota¬ 
toes, will answer for the crop. It is claimed 
by experienced growers that newly-turned 
sod will not raise good onions. The land is 
preferably manured in the fall, using 20 to 30 
loads of coarse stable manure to the acre. 
Or the land is plowed in the fall, and a ton 
of fish guano to the acre is harrowed in. Tho 
land is again plowed shallow in spring, and 
300 lbs. to the acre of Peruvian guano, or its 
equivalent in other good fertilizer, harrowed 
in. If the ground has not been manured in 
the fall, then fine pig-pen manure or fine 
stable manure may be used, plowing in very 
early, using the guano or other fertilizer after¬ 
wards. The harrowing should be very thor¬ 
ough, and if the surface is not smooth, 
use rakes to finish. The sowing should be 
done as early in spring as the soil is in good 
condition. The ground is marked out by a 
marker in lines 14 inches apart, and the seed 
sown by one of the several seed sowers ; the 
machine should be set to drop about three 
seeds to the inch, and they need to be covered 
about half an inch. All experienced onion 
growers are very particular about their seeds, 
which should be new and of home growth. 
The variety will depend upon the demands 
of the market, but the beginner will do best 
with one of the Early Red varieties. The 
cultivation of the crop may be greatly aided 
by the use of one of the hand weeders or 
cultivators, of which there are several good 
ones advertised. If the rows are straight and 
the sowing regular, a hand cultivator may be 
run very close to the plants, leaving but few 
weeds to be taken out of the rows by hand. 
Usually three or four weedings are needed 
during the season. Three bushels of salt to 
the acre, applied when the plants are about 
four inches high, is beneficial, and at the 
second weeding it is well to give a good 
dressing of wood ashes. We would not ad¬ 
vise those who have never raised onions to go 
largely into their cultivation at first, as they 
require more attention than many can give, 
and unless the weeds are kept in subjection 
the onions will suffer. Some varieties mature 
much earlier than others; the harvesting is 
commenced whenever the majority of tho 
tops fall over. Many growers prefer to sell 
the orop directly from the field, while others 
prefer to hold on in the hope of better prices. 
If they are kept they should be well cured. 
