The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-12
Thin out Fruit.

AS the season seems favorable, the
prospect is that the trees, Of all kinds,
will be we'll loaded with fruit. Too
much fruit is something unusual, for
tho market Is never oyerstocked in
quantity, but too much inferior fruit is
q yearly infliction OH all who buy.
Pruning, trimming and cultivating,
while pushing forward the trees in Vi
gor and productiveuess, also assist in
the development Of q surplus of bios
SONS, the stimulus causing the trees to
bend their energies in that direction in
preference to an excess of leaves, for
the embryo buds are alike, and diverge
| INTO leaf or rrult as the conditions d.
rect.
Thinning out fruit seems repulsiye
TO those who arc accustomed to seeing
heavy clusters Of fruit on trees and
the operation appears to be q wasteful
one; but, when We consider that fruit
ing is but an effort Unnatural reproduce
tion, 1t is TO be wondered, rather, that
Thinning is not more commonly prac-
Ilccd. III the tree cannot propagate by
seeding it will endeavor to do so from
tho root by sending out shoots. 1t
either sends out shoots or fruit buds.
or both, and this must he accomplished
only with the material which tile tree
affords, part OF which is stored and
part new, taken directly from the soil
at the time Of blossoming or u little be-
fore. This material is distributed to
every part of the tree, the remotest
blossom not being forgotten, and the
tree can only nourish according to it's
capacity to supply. Where the fruit is
ovcrcrowcd on the tree tho fact is ap-
parent that infcriority of size must be
the consequences; and whenever the
fruit is dwarfed the flavor and appear
ance IS below the average, to say moth
ing OF the drain on the vitality Of the
treo, which is thereby compelled o use
llS utmost endeaV0r in order to develop
its fruit.
by thinning out the inferior spcci-
mems, leaving only that which looks
promising, the sap is directed int0fewer
channels instead Of the many, the fruit
being supplied with greater propor-
tlOn OIL nourlShnent, grows more rap
ldiy, rlpcns sooner and is improved in
appearance and quality, Nor will the
actual production be less, for the chan
ces are that by measurement tho GUAM
tlty will be more than if no thinning
process had been practiccd, the chief
benefit being the doubling Of the price
owing to the superiority of the fruit.
Strawberries so treated have been grown
to ouch proportions us to readily COM
mand lifty cents per quart when infer
lor Kinds were not in demand, and
pears nave been sent to our markets
That sold slngly at good prices, while
Others were sold by mensurement
IhousandS OF bushels Of apples rot; in
our orchards annually Simply because
the trees are overcrowed and the fruit
becomes unstable, and the cherries,
peaches and even the small fruits are
no exception.
Another point to be observed is that
trees and vines must not be allowed to
make any effort other than by seeding.
The shoots and runners must be kept
down, as they rob the parent stock of
vital poWcr-;lS is well known to those
who grow Strawberries especially, the
runners OF this year being detrimental
To fruit production the succeeding sea-
son. Let every fruit-grower onde;lvor
to produce goou, well-formed, market
able fruit, culling out that which is
and allotting to tho trees only
That which is suitable to their capacity
and the increased prices and quick salcs
will be more than Il satisfactory remu-
heration for The small amount Of extra
abor required.