218 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
nitrogen will also produce an exudation of sap, and immature 
ripening of the twigs, which are frequently winter-killed. When 
the tree shows a pale color it indicates a lack of nitrogen. In such 
cases an application of stable manure is beneficial. A most excel¬ 
lent chemical fertilizer to use at this period is a mixture of 1400 
pounds of pure ground bone and 600 pounds of cotton seed meal. 
Apply broadcast or in furrows on opposite sides of the tree at the 
proper distance from 2 to 4 pounds of this mixture, according to the 
size of the tree. When the bearing period is reached potash is 
needed. This can be supplied in the form of muriate or sulphate of 
potash. A good formula is a fertilizer analyzing 10% available 
phosphoric acid, 1% ammonia, and 10% potash. Apply 3 to 5 
pounds, according to the vigor and size of the tree. This is best 
applied in February or March, or just before active root growth 
commences. Hardwood ashes, when obtainable, is a most excellent 
and economical fertilizer. If the trees receive too much phos¬ 
phoric acid and nitrogen the growth will be excessive, and fruit will 
lack color, and it will be very susceptible to brown rot; in this case 
ashes or potash fertilizer should be liberally applied. 
Thinning 
This is a most deceptive undertaking. It should be started just 
before the pit begins to harden, and after the completion of the 
natural drop. It is, indeed, hard to realize when thinning that the 
little peaches will attain a diameter of 1 y 2 to 2}A, and frequently 3 
inches; consequently, the thinning process is not always sufficiently 
severe. Some varieties should be so thinned that when the fruit 
matures there should be at least 4 to 6 inches between each speci¬ 
men. This may seem unduly severe, but it will give you better 
results in every way, and at the same time add to the healthfulness 
and life of the tree. Your entire crop of fruit will be of merchant¬ 
able size, and you will not have a lot of undersized and worthless 
fruit. All peaches removed from the tree should be carried to the 
dump and burned, as much of the fruit thus thinned contains the 
eggs of the curculio, and by burning, future crops of curculio are 
destroyed. Thinning the fruit, in connection with the proper 
pruning, cultivation, fertilization and spraying, will keep the peach 
orchard in first-class physical condition, and, barring frost and 
storm, there is no reason why your orchard should not produce a 
good corp annually. Off years in a fruit crop are due to neglect in 
observing the above important duties. 
Curculio 
This “little turk” is the cause of the loss of many carloads of 
fruit annually, and vigorous warfare should be waged against this 
pest. Wild plum, crab apple and haw trees are excellent breeding 
places for this insect, and the careful cultivator will see that such 
trees are removed from the vicinity of the orchard. It is also well 
to remove all woods adjoining the orchard. If this is not practi¬ 
cable, the woods should be burned over in the late winter so as to 
kill all the undergrowth. All stumps, roots and pieces of bark and 
other debris, in the orchard should be removed as these afford 
hibernating places for the curculio. Another way to destroy the 
curculio is to jar the trees, catching the insects on cloth-covered 
frames especially made for the purpose. This jarring should be 
done early in the morning and late in the afternoon when the 
curculio is dormant. The jarring should commence as soon as the 
fruit is set, and should be continued as long as necessary. Spraying 
for curculio has not been entirely successful; but if 2 pounds of 
arsenite of lead added to 50 gallons of Bordeaux is used when spray¬ 
ing for brown.rot, many curculios will be destroyed. All fallen fruit 
should be gathered and burned. 
Brown Rot 
This is one of the greatest problems confronting the fruit grower. 
Many orchardists do not believe in spraying, as the results obtained 
have been unsatisfactory, and in many instances the results have 
been fatal to the trees. Not infrequently the spraying is entrusted 
to the most trifling and careless help on the farm, whereas, this 
should be done by the most careful and intelligent man. The spray 
should be thoroughly distributed over the tree, but not in such 
copious showers that the liquid will drip from the leaves, nor run 
down the trunk of the tree in streams. Spray properly or omit it 
altogether. Another most important feature in reducing the ravage 
of brown rot and visitations of the curculio is the removal of all 
fallen fruit. During the harvesting season the orchard should be 
gone over carefully at least twice a week, and all the fallen fruit 
gathered up and carried to the dump and burned. After the crop is 
harvested it is well to go over the orchard and cut out all twigs 
showing the effects of brown rot. These twigs, like the fruit, should 
be cremated. I would state that the following treatment has given 
good results: 
1st. Remove all mummified fruit, should there be any on the 
tree. 
2d. Spray in winter with lime and sulphur. 
3d. When in full bloom prune out all twigs and blossoms 
affected with Rot. 
4th. When fruit is well set, spray with Bordeaux 3-9-50. 
5th. Ten days later Bordeaux 3-9-50. 
Cth. Ten days to two weeks later Bordeaux 3-9-50. 
The same spray should be continued at intervals of ten days to 
two weeks until the fruit begins to ripen. If the Bordeaux is care¬ 
fully applied there is no material injury to the foliage, but if milk of 
lime is used three days after an application of Bordeaux, the shot- 
holing of the foliage will be greatly reduced. 
San Jose Scale 
The more orchards, the greater is the number of insects and 
fungous diseases. It seems that with the advance of civilization 
both the vegetable and animal kingdoms are being continually 
attacked by new diseases. When the San Jose Scale first appeared 
upon our shores we thought the fruit industry was doomed; but, 
thanks to the Entomologist, this pest can be kept within bounds. 
If we spray with lime and sulphur solution in the fall so soon as the 
trees have been pruned the scale can be kept in check; but if the 
orchard is badly invested, a second spraying in the spring before the 
buds begin to swell will be of untold benefit. 
Picking and Packing 
The harvest time has now arrived and the orchardist is ready 
to reap the reward of his three, maybe four, years of labor, expense 
and patience. The picking must be carefully done; the pickers 
should be in gangs of thirty or forty, with a thoroughly competent 
field boss in charge of each gang. He should see that each picker 
carefully removes the peach from the tree by twisting the fruit, 
and that it is placed (not dropped) in the basket. The baskets 
should be promptly hauled upon especially constructed spring 
wagons to the packing shed, and there uniformly graded by hand. 
All fruit showing the least defect must be discarded. The grader 
should carefully place each peach in its respective bin; the packers 
deftly place the peaches in the baskets in the standard carrier crate. 
No false packing should be tolerated; every peach packed should be 
perfect and of its respective grade. Too much stress cannot be laid 
upon the importance of uniformity in packing. The first peach 
placed in the crate must be a standard governing every specimen 
filling the crate of that grade. The fruit should be so placed in 
the basket that one does not rest upon another; in other words, 
they should rest in the cavities. The stem ends should all point 
in the same direction, and the blushing cheeks be in sight. Do not 
be afraid to give full measure. It pleases the buyer, and, further¬ 
more, a full crate carries better than one loosely packed. Use a 
neat package, and brand on same the variety and grade. Let your 
label be neat, but not flashy. Establish with your first shipment 
a reputation for honest and uniform packing and grading, and 
thereby reap the reward of your labor. 
The annual loss to the fruit grower and to the country at large 
arising from the destructive work of various insects can only be 
measured in millions. Careful attention to the needs of the trees 
and proper methods to exterminate or check the spread of the in- 
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