Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-03-25
Planting, Pruning and Cultivatin.
the Peach.
(Ovid T. McWhorter)

(Ovid 7. McWhorter) e
In the course of planting {,
peach orchard many questions viii
arise, but it is the intention Of this
article to discuss only the selection
.oi the tree and the plans for plant-s
ing the same.
The one-year-old tree is used for
planting in the orchard almost
without exception. The peach is
la vigorous grower and must of
necessity be taken at this age in
order to train it to the most de-
ISred form. Then again the tree
grows so fast that the root system
of the tWo-year-old tree will not in
many cases support it when it is
transpIauted
Many different kinds of plant
ing plans have been advanced for
the peach. Some preferring one
and some another, but the square
plan seems to have the favor of
the more experienced growers.
The natural tendency on the
part Of the grower is to plant the
trees too close together. This is a
common mistake and especially so
small acreage, as he wishes to get
as large returns as possible, and
reasons that the more trees there
are to the acre the greater the re-
turns.
According to Horticulturists of
Experience the proper distance for
permanent trees is about eighteen
or twenty feet apart.
Objections to close planting are
many. Perhaps the first and great
est IS, that ia close planting the
tree must grow upwards instead of
spreading out over the ground.
Again picking and thinning the
first fruit is much more difficult
than when the trees have tops
formed near the ground to say
nothing Of the trouble experienced
IN spraying and pruning. Lastly,
the sun IS shut out to such an ex-
tent that it prevents the proper
coIorng of the fruit, and makes
conditions more faborable for the
multiplication OF orchard pests.
Pruning and shaping of the tree
should begin when it is first
placed III the orchard. At this
time it should be headed back to
twelve or fifteen inches. During
the first season four or five
branches may be allowed to form
near the top Of the tree. These
should be well spaced and in such
position TO each other as to form
a well balanced head. All suckers
and shoots should be removed as
soon as they appear.
When pruning the first season s
growth the permanent branches
should be cut back to within about
one foot OF the main stem. These
branches may, then, during the
econd season S growth, be allowed
to throw out three or four
ranches each. Of this later growth
aus a rule, about tWo-thirds Of the
length is removed by pruning, I'M
less for some reason or other the
growth has not been up to the nor
NAL standard. The branches cut
back the second year should throw
out three, or four each the third
season.
From this stage on the object of
the grower should be to cut away
enough wood each year to force
good, strong growth, to remove SUI
pcrduous fruiting wood, and to
give the tree the desired shape.
The top, or bearing wood of the
peach should be kept as near the
ground as possible. Then, since the
fruit Of the peach is borne on the
newest wood, heavy pruning will
be required in order to accomplish
| this end, and to make the tree
| throw out fruiting wood nearer
| the ground, rather than in the top
as it does where light pruning is
practiced.