Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-02-01
Winter Protection of Peach
Buds.

Department of Horticulture and Entomology
Kansas Experiment Station, Manhattan, Kans
The fact that peach trees produce q
full crop only on occasional years has
caused such little planting of trees in
Kansas that good peaches are always
scarce, and some years not produced
at all In the state. The uncertainty
of this crop is due to the changeable-
ness of the climate. Peach buds can
stand inteI.se cold if it comes when
they are mature aud dormant We
say, the cold spell in February killed
the buds, when, in reality, the warm
spell in January was as much the
cause. A well -ripened bean will en-
dure the most extreme cold, but is
quickly killed if frozen before it ripens
or after it has germinated. The case
is the same with peach buds. The crop
may be ruined in the fall before the
buds have matured; warm weather
may sta,t growth in mid-winter, and
subsequent cold kill the buds, or they
may endure the winter, start properly
in Spring and be killed by late cold
spells.
BY splitting a bud longitudinally
and examining the pistil, the small
fask-shaped orban in the center, it is
easy to determine whether the bud has
been killed or not. A brown or black
withered pistil indicates that it has,
while if large number of buds have
green, plump pistils there are stiD
good chances for crop. Today Jan
uary l L, 1885, an examination of one
hundred buds of several varities show
ed the following number of dead pis-
tils: Elberta 25, Family Favorite 9,
Alexander Z. There are still chances
for full crop. How to make the
chances better, is the point that is
causing various experiments in bud
protection to be undertaken.
To insure crop, the buds must be
matured in the fail before cold weather
and kept dormant through winter and
early spring. To accomplish this, the
station has protected standing trees by
various means, such as binding the tops
full of evergreen branches, hay, etc.,
sometimes surrounding these materials
with burlap. Such projections have
at times resulted in the production of
fruit when otherwise there would have
been none, but for all years have not
proved sufficiently reliable for recon-
mendation.
To test results obtained in Missouri
trees OF different varities have been
kept sprayed with whitewasL contain
ing milk and salt to cause it to stick
longer. The twigs of trees thus treat
ed are several degrees cooler during
the warmest winter days, and a few
days later in coming into full bloom.
These effects may be all that is needed
some seasons to prevent destruction
of the crop, but they are too slight to
save buds from all kinds of weather.
1t may be that the most practical
means of bud protection has not been
discovered, but at p resent the most
promising is that of laying the trees to
the ground in late fall or early winter
and covering the tops with old hay or
like material. This method has pro-
duced good results at this station and
promises to be a profitable procedure
for peach growers of the state. Other
stations have reported favorable re-
suits. This process is simple, tie ma
terial inexpensive, and the work not
so great but that a good profit may be
obtained.
For best results, the orchard should
be planted with this treatment in view.
Very large trees can not be treate to
When the trees are plant
ed che large roots should extend east
and west and those on the north and
south removed. It is important that
the trees be put down every year from
the time they are planted. The work
is accomplished by removing the soil
from the south aud north sides and
forcing the tree to the south, where it
is held close to the ground by stakes
crossing over the trunk. Mounds of
earth are then made over the roots of
the trees. The layer of mulching may
be increased as the weather gets colder,
but should be of such nature that it
will not heat. To keep the buds cool
and at an even temperature is the i'm.
portant point.
For fear of late frosts, the mulching
should not all be removed till the trees
are IN bloom, when the work of bees
will he needed to aid in poIlinatioD.
The tree being raised, it must be Sc
cured to stakes to prevent the wind
from swaying it about.
If the work is all carefully done the
operation will have no harmful effects
on the trees. Taking it for granted
that the life of the tree is shortened,