The record-union., 1892-06-08
POINTS FOR FRUIT GROWERS.
R. B. Blowers Method of Dipping
and Grading Prunes.
a Novel and Valuable Plan-Shaping
Young Trees by Summer PrUn-
ing-Some Practical Tests.
Correspondents ot the RrcoRD-Us1oS.l

Correspondence OF the RECoRD-UHIoN.l
The following ideas were furnished by
K. B. Blowers the veteran fruit-grower
of Woodland) from his sick-room, with
request that they be given to the public
in such way that no one would obtain
patent.
In dipping prunes it is desirable that
the alkaline wash should be hot, and of
about the strength given by one pound of
concentrated lye to eight gallons of
water. The prunes should remain
in the hot dip just long enough
to crack the skin, then be at
once rinsed so thoroughly as to remove
every trace of alkali. and finally run into
three or four grades before drying. The
proposition is to combine appliances cal
culated TO handle several carloads per
day in this way.
- In the first place, suppose we have a
galvanized iron tank, with sloping ends,
twelve feet long, three feet wide and two
1eet deep, mounted on a brick arch with
solid supports. Ten barrels of water and
t1fty pounds Of concentrated lye would
I'LL it little more than half full. Then
we could have an endless belt made of
wire cloth, or similar material, to run
over rollers so placed as to carry the belt
through the tank under the dip and de-
liver the pruneS upon a similar belt that
should carry them through bath of clear
water.
The second belt should deliver them to
third, which should carry them over a
dripping pan. While the fruit was pass
ing over the third belt he would have a
hose throwing a spray OF fresh water over
them and the dripping pan would be ar
rqnOn6 ~ enE ho, 5TotD I,o
rinsing tank. From the third belt they
should run over greater that would
aSSort them into proper sizes before they
went on the drying trays.
The speed of the belt could be so ad-
justed as to keep the prunes under the
alkaline bath exactly as long as desired
thing that cannot be exactly regulated
by appliances in use-and as they gener-
ally need to remain under about half a
minute, and it would take more than
nifty pounds Of pruneS to till such belt
one deep, one may safely calculate the
capacity OF such device at 100 pounds
minute, or three tons per hour, or car
load OF dried prunes per day. 1t would
take help enough to put them into the
machine, keep up the fire and spread it
on the trays. In other words, you touch
the button and the machine will do the
rest, and do it right.
l. II. Thomas of Visalia has for some
IlLiiO OSStl upon Tie lUGd Oh
ing the heads OF his young trees while in
the nursery. By this method the planter,
instead of cutting them back to within
fifteen inches of the ground in order to
have the three buds next below throw
out leaders for the main branches (as they
do IN the vase system of pruning, has his
leaders already formed and is practically
one year ahead, so far as fruiting is con-
cerned.
This plan is specially adapted to the
rank growth of stock secured in such
rich land as Mr.. Thomas nursery is To-
Gated upon, where he grows such trees
that many nurserymen would take oath
that his yearling trees were two years
old.
THE PLAN.
When the buds have reached a little
higher than the point where he wants
to form head, he pinches back the ter
minal and causes them to throw out side
branches. These he checks with thumb
and finger, from time to time until he
has trees formed upon the vase system in
| the nursery, and so avoids the common
trouble of growing a large amount of
wood to be thrown away. Perhaps this
! system might not give so good satiSfac-
ton in places where trees made only
average growth. To avoid the trouble
of handling such large trees as
grow in that locality, his neighbors
Nursery, are prOpagating June buds,
principally intending to sell the trees at
one year from the pit.
THE SAME IDEA FOR THE ORCHARD.
Mr.. Thomas informed me that he was
trying the plan on his young prune
orchard. When the laterals had grown
to the point where he would naturally
cut them back next winter, on the old
system, he pinches off the terminal, and
SO gets the side branches that he wants
this year instead of next
| Possibly this system might not give
laterals and branches sufficiently stOcky
to form a good head in soils that gave
average growth, but on soils that will grow
a bud from ten to twelve feet IN one year.
| as some of the Tulare and rivar-bottom
/ lands do, it is more than half likely
! that Mr.. Thomas is on the right track.
| His experiments will bear watching,
and l hope to visit his orchard often
enough to keep our readers posted upon
| the success of these experiments
FRANK ;. CHAPLIN,