The Delta independent., 1898-12-23

.
they have begun to blossom.
Numerous methods OF protecting
peach buds during winter have been
tried with more or Iess success.
Layering. or bending down in autumn
and covering with soil. mats. pine branch
- or other protecting material. has been
resoried TO. To facilitate bending down
| the trees are unually headed low, the
roots are cut on one side OF the tree, the
tree is then bent over in the direction
opposite the cut side, and may be quite
readily laid on the ground. This should
only be practiced or trees that have
been bent down each year after setting.
II an old tree 10 treated in this manner
for the first it may seriously impair its
vigor. The Iowa station advises shap
ing trees TO be thus protected. by train
ing the trunks horizontally along the
ground and allowing the upright head
to form several feet to one side OF the
stump. Grown in this position the pros
tra;c trunk may be twisted sufficiently
to allow the head to he laid over on tie
kfouDo shoWShs oAS NlOss s>N ~
hxvo successfully laid down the peach
by planting the young tree so its roots
are guided laterally in two opposite di
rections. by . trough shaped piece OF
sheet iron. embedded in the ground. The
roots in this position may be twisted
81 u1iciently to permit the layering OF the
tree.
Coating the buds. BY spraying with
glue. AVID other sticky substances. has
been tried. With the hops OF winter af
fording proie ;tion.
-Bzling.- or drawing together the
branches. - closely ~ possible. in YER
ticsi bundle. has been tried with some
success.
Whitening the wigs aud buds by
spraying wi whitewash has been given
more attention at this station than any
other means OF protection. Careful OBJ
eervatiou has shown that warm sunny
days in winter. or very early spring, are
indirectly more dangerous to the peach
buds. in this state, than is the very cold
weather. Peach buds are able T. endure
fifteen to twenty degrees (possibly more)
below zero. wi;hou; injury. provided the
wood ripens properly in autumn. the
cold weather comes on gradually and the
buds remain dormant. On the other
hand, the buds OF peaches on a southern
slope may swell and grow percePtbly
when the atmospheric temperature
reaches fifty or sixty degrees ab,vs zero
IL there is righ' sunlight. After few
days OF su n weather. a sudden drop to
near the zero mark is almost certain to
destroy the frui, buds that have been
s,im 1lated even in slight growth daring
the previous warm days. Reference to
the reports % ,he U. 5. Weather Bureau
and the State Board of Agriculture shows
that the temperature seldom goes los
enough. in any part os the state. to Kill
dormant each buds The same reports
however rec, ri 7. e9ueut Sinter temper.
atures sufficient ly high to cause peach
buds to swell perccptibly. and also show
that TALL Of sixty degrees within less
than a week is not uncommon. Last
winter a fall from sixty degrees TO four
below zero. during January killed por-
tiou OF the fruit buds ot the peach. in
the vicinity o: the station and weakened
many buds that were no; killed.
Ii should be CO: sanity borne in mind
tha, peach buds may svell and grow
vhen the ground is frozen. and the roots
Il the tree are inactive. There is an er
roneous opinion in regard to this among
fruit growers. sone % whom believe
that growth OF the buds canuot take
place unless the rs,ts are thawed and
active. In conformity with this theory.
they advise heavy mulching under the
tre~s af cr the ground frecz.~ to keep
the roots froz n and dormant. Ths 10
supposed to r-tard sselling and growth
Of the buds uatii danger os fros, rs over.
The error cf the above theory has been
amply prDvd Many years ago u was
shoun that tie branch - . grape vine.
which stood near buiiciinx ~.s drawn
through the wall into EARN room. u
could b fo<ce,i sato ...sssi~r aole xrosih
while the PARENT plant to which u wss
attached remained scuRen soi.d cufsisse-
Circumstances arr Iuently soet v'.h
which tend to i~prcve The necssssy u
r0s scsics ia prcoosing the GrOstA u
uistes bs<is. % - n daya Trsss "
e>rtsis ssrissiso z cot dcOs whHs fro
- is vissss sill c1sss ~ ct 10 susisg
vhss theis tsssas 80 sssiss>y ssssses
ssua Tie sssavaI Issias = bsoess
eunpp buils u Ointss = esssDio eio1D
- = usAuuun1 buuESA -