Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-07-30
rAINNIna our FROIf.
Process. That Must ne Resortcd 20 "
the Product ne sntisnotory.

Process. That Must ne Resortcd 20 "
the Product he sntlsnotory.
This operation Is Of cqualimportance
With pruning or attention TO the soil;
yet how few are aware Of il, aud fewer
stul disposed to practice itl II Is pity
10 them to see the fruit cut down, and
the task seems out Of proportion to the
profit to be derived from II, II indeed
there is any profit which is very much
doubted. SO the trees are allowed to
overbear, and the fruit to remain small
and Of inferior quality, tho unrelieved
stra in tending to and establishing bien-
nial fruiting.
Now, as such fruit is of reduced val
ne, and almost worthless as q market
fruit, why not experiment a little, II
only with single tree, or even but a
part OF the tree, which Is certainly no
difficult task, taking but few minutes
of timer But let the test be carried
far enough to get the full benefit, which
requires the removal of from two-thirds
TO three-fourths of the fruit II the tree Is
a prolific bearer. The difficulty usual
ly is in not removing enough. When
closely set, lei not less than three
fourths be removed, leaving the remain
ing fruit equally distributed through
the tree. The result viii be about the
same amount of fruit as il left unthin-
ned. and SO improved as to seem an
other sort in flavor and quality, as well
rs in size, which will be three or four
times as large as II let unthinned, cor
spending to the proportion removed. IL
will also be found that the work is not
near so arduous as was supposed. Use
convenient ladder, and thin out by
hand. removing the Inferior specimens
The proper time to do this is when the
fruit has attained about the size Of n
cherry among quite small growing
sorts; otherwise little larger. Even
when thinning is neglected I'LL the frtpit
is half grown, il will be labor well
spent 10 thin out; but for fair test IL
should be done early.
As is well known, there Is a great
difference in the bearing quality OF
trees; and we find this feature-that
the shy bearers have usually large fruit,
and the prolific small. 1t is impossible
for the latter to grow their numerous
specimens ms large as the fruit of the
former, But II thinned out so as to
equal the other in distribution, there
viii be much less difference in the size
of the fruit
II to thinning is added free pruning Of
the branches and attention TO the soil.
improvement may be carried to the ex-
tent of materially changing the
character of the fruit, making OF poor
variety a comparatively good one, not
only. with young trees, which seem
moe susceptible OF change in this re-
spect, but old neglected ones. which il
is not generally difficult 30 rcjuvenate,
and give new lease of life, with tho
fruit improved far beyond what the
former usually bad treatment afforded.
No highly prolific tree has sutlicelt
y'gor TO grow the fruit LARGE; the de-
mand Is simply too great, and the strain
Is hurtful to the tree, consisting mainly
Of the trees effort 10 grow and mature
its seed. This it will dv or fail. And
this concentration upon tie seed is ut
the expense of the remainder of the
fruit, affecting its size and quality. The
core will remain much the same. II
the demand here is lessenel, which Il
will be by the reduction OF tue number
Of cores or specimens Of fruit, the lib
Grated force Of the tree wills be en-
ployed, among other thii Is. in growing
the flesh and improving tie flavor and
quality Of the fruit, leaving the tree at
the same time in healthy condition.
T.. o., "a Country Gentleman.