THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
09 
IViiils show lilll(‘ 01 ' no (linVr(‘iK*(‘ in sap oonccMiti’ation 
rroiii thos(‘ Ix'ai’in^' only nn(‘ frnil. 
lAaininalion of l)n(ls in w inU'r for forcaslin^ j)rol)able 
lilooin. as ina(l(‘ Ity 0. (1. Wi^^ans, indicates that it is i)os- 
sihle to forecast the prohaltl(‘ hlooin of apple trees. Fur- 
IIhm' ol»servalions arc* hein^i; made* w ith the view" of devel¬ 
oping methods of for<*easting that may he used by the 
average* grower. - 
Fivii: Veahs’ Investigations in Appi.e Thinning 
/L C. Auvhlcr, ( ire.s7 Virginui Sta.) 
During this period one bundred eigbly-seven trees of 
ditferent ag<*s, growing under ditlerent environmental 
CGiidilions and consisting of the varieties Dome, Baldwin, 
York lmp(*rial, I)(*lieious, and Ben Davis, were under test. 
For llu* most jiart the experiments were not eonduet(*d 
(onltnuously on Ihe same trees ow ing to the failure of the 
lr(*es to set fruit in certain years, hence the results for 
(*acb season are presented in detail. Owing to the lack 
of an apple croj) in 1913 a thinning experiment with 
peaches was conducted and is here noted. 
The results from Ihe thinning experiments as a wiiole 
indicate that it do(*s not jiay to thin in years of light crop 
production if the trees arc* vigorous and growing in fer¬ 
tile soil. Where ap|)le trees are hearing from a medium 
lo a heavy crop of fruit the removal'of a part of this fruit 
by thinning is a very profitable practice. In all cases 
w here the trees had a good croj) thinning increased the 
size and improved the color of the fruit, thus enhancing 
its market value. The results of the experiments indicate 
that thinning does not influence subsequent crojis nor 
cause* trees naturally biennial in hearing habit to hear a 
( I'oj) (*ach year. 
Winter varieties of apples may he thinned just aftc'r 
Ihe .lime droj), since* much of the fruit reme)ve*d by too 
early thinning w ill drop off naturally at the time of the 
June* drop and the remaining apples on the thinned trees 
may then he thinned too much. In the case of sununer 
or e*arly autumn varieties it is suggested that it w ill prob¬ 
ably pay to de*lay thinning until the fruit is large enough 
to use* and then se*ve*ral thinnings should he made as the 
fruits size up. In most cases the best results were oh 
taineel w'he*n the* fruits were thinneel 6 tei 7 in. apart. In 
the case* eif olel trees he'aring geioel crops 9 to 10 in. apart 
gave* slightly hetle*r results. 
One* ye*ar in erne led eif 12 trees the thinned tre*es re- 
Iurne*el twice as much net pe*i\tree as did the unthinneel 
lre*e*s. Aimiher ye'ar the thinned tre*es gave at least a 73 
per cent, gieater net return per tree. In semie cases the* 
incre*ase*s w"e*re mil see striking. The* cei.st eif thinning 
range*el freim eight a ml eine-thirel cents tei feirty-three anel 
e»iH*-thirel cents per tree, elepending em size* eif crop and 
lre*e*. The* autheir ceincludes that einly a small part, if any. 
of the* ceist eif thinning sheiulel he chargeel against the 
thinneel trees, jiartly he'cause the fruit thinneel ofl' weiuld 
have* lei he* renieiveel at jiicking time anyw^ay and jiartly 
he*cause it takes much longer and ceists more in seirting 
to pick end the larger ameiuiit eif unsalable culls freim the 
unthinneel tre*es. - 
Is THE IlUAlUS (hlNTENT eiF THE SeilE A e'.UIUE Tei Fehtieity 
Fxperime*nts ceinelucteel at Purelue University using a 
surface clay seiil very eleficient in organic matter and dif- 
lerent organic manures are rejieirteel. 
“The results of the vegetation and humification tests 
se‘em to sheiw that w he*ne*ve*r there is rajiiel humiticalion 
of manure* llm greiwth eif Ihe plaid is gre*ally slimnlateel. 
inelicating that ‘the ele*cay eif eirganic matle*r is ele*sirahle* 
in |ilant greiwth anel neit just its me're* pi’e*se*ne*e*.' This 
w as especially neitice*ahle* w he*n gre*e*n manure*s w e'ii* 
reilleel uneler anel lime*el as e*eimjiare*el w ith elisking eii* mix¬ 
ing the manures unifeirmly w ith the* seiil. 
“Certain of the manures see*m to hei as seiluhle in a i 
pe*r cent, ammonia when just mixeel with tim seiil as afte*r 
humiticatiein. This was feiunel tei he true w ith alfalfa anel 
ste*er anel somewhat with cenv manure*s. Ileirse* manure 
seemieel tei humify slow ly anel its plant feieiel was large*ly 
unavailable to corn during the first year, hut the* humili 
cation and vegetation tests shewv it heiceime*s meire avail¬ 
able in the second year. It was jieissihle* tei incre*ase* llm 
rate* eif humilication of horse manure* in the lirsi ye'ar by 
adding doleimitic limestone, which resulteel in a gre*ate*r 
yield of corn than where humiticatiein hael neit taken 
place. 
“The eirganic residues left in the soil freim manure* 
treatment were not very effective during the* seceinel ye*ar 
in [ireiducing a growdh of corn, probably liecausc the* meisl 
available or valuable complexes had disapfiearcel in the 
first year. There is nei aiqiarent relatiemship hctwe*e*n the* 
jiercentage of ash in humus anel the greiwdh eif ceirn. The* 
humiticatiein and vegetation tests se*e*m tei inelicate* a 
rather close relationship between the amount eif humus 
and the growth of corn.” 
COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOB THE 
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA 
George Wharton Pejiper, Chairman 
Philaeleljihia. Fe*hruary 22. 1918. 
Natieinal Nurseryman, 
Flourtowii, Pennsylvania. 
Centlemen:— 
It has just he*en brought tei our alte*nlion that fake* re*- 
peirts have been circulated tending tei elisceiurage* Ihe* mak¬ 
ing of maple sugar and maple syrup. 
These reports are* that the Covernment preipeise*s tei com¬ 
mandeer all maple preiducts at a very lenv jirice*. 
The facts are that such reports are* w heilly w itheiul any 
feiundatiem in fact, anel, on the either hanel. Ihe* Feieiel Ael- 
ministration is urging the manufacture eif all the* majile* 
jiroelucts possible. 
No eine need have any fear eif his [ireieluct he*ing ceim- 
mande'cre'd by the Ceivernment, eir, sei far as we* kneiw . 
any prices being fixeel. 
It is ve*ry desiralile that maple jireielucts he* pi'eieluce*el m 
the very largest ejuantities, particularly for heime* anel 
leical cemsumptiem, as the use* eif such preielucts will le*- 
lie*ve* the cane anel beet sugar situatiein veiy materially in 
many leical districts. 
Ow ing to the high prices prevailing on either sugars anel 
syrujis the manufacture of maple preielucts sheiulel he* par 
ticularly preititahle this se'asem. 
Will yeiu kinelly give this matter w iele* publicity w Inch 
will he eif very ceinsielerahle assistance* tei us at this time. 
Thanking you for your very kind co-operation, we re¬ 
main, Yeiurs very truly. 
Department of Food Supply, 
Howard Heinz, Direr lor. 
By Harry II. W ILLOCK. 
