Cañon City record., 1910-06-16

portance to the grower.
1t is the tendency for a fruit tree
to produce far more fruit buds than 1t
will be able to carry to maturity sue
cessfully. l have often Seen branches
So full of fruit that it was impossible
to see the limb itself, and the grower
would be boasting of the fact that his
trees had produced such large num-
Der of specimens on a single branch Of
such a given length, and not seeming
to realize that he was aiding his tree
in carrying out the old saying, fat
one year and lean the next" and also
aggravating the problem of little ap-
pies If you should suggest that 1t
would be well to thin off part of the
fruit he would look at you in astonish-
ment and contend that he could not
aford the expense besides that he
needed all the fruit that the tree could
produce. Right here is where he is
making the mistake of his life 1t Is
an impossibility for tree to mature
such crop of fruit satisfactorily. All
the fruit spurs are. being worked to
their utmost There is no chance for
forming fruit buds for the next sea-
sons crop. The grower seems to over
look the fact that while this crop is
being brought to maturity the tree al
so has the task of producing fruit duds
for a following crop So he allows the
tree to use up all of its energy in pro-
ducing one crop and then wonders
why there is no crop the following
season. why there are SO many small
apples. why so many are off color and
is unable to account for the large
number of wormy apples It is
impossible to do satisfactory spraying
where the fruit is so crowded Where
two apples rest together the spray
can not be forced between them, thus
leaving an opening for safe entry Of
the worms and nine times out OF ten
the worms will find this place as It
affords them protection from their
enemies.
Give the tree a chance. Thin off all
the fruit but one to spur and then II
Is Qdutcl Vi Aut ull
thin off all the fruit in enough of the
spurs so that the specimens will have
a space of about three inches in which
to develop. A well known New York
apple grower says that he has solved
the problem of getting a crop of fruit
every year from his trees Of at least
making them set crop of fruit spurs
every year-and his discovery has no
patent: il is just common horse sense
in thinning. This looks reasonable
enough as I have said before. when
the tree Is loaded with fruit there 10
no chance for the formation OF fruit
buds. The next year there will be lit
tie or no crop of fruit and a heAzy
crop OF buds. The problem is. then.
bow to even things up; that Is. make
the tree produce fruit and fruit buds
at the same time. and think that you
will agree with me that thinning will
20 long way In solving the problem.
and also do away with lot OF the
little fruits.
The question of expense comes up.
At first II seems immense; however. II
we take a second thought. it will not
seem so great and by little figuring
we will be convinced that II Is a pay
ing proposition. The fruit will have to
be picked at one time or another. II
II is not thinned off when II is small.
1t will have to be picked In the fall.
IL takes no longer to pick small
apple than il does large one. especi-
ally where the grower uses up-to-date
methods in handling his fruit. We
might 20 little farther and say that
II will not take so long. as the young
apple is thrown on the ground. The
time saved is not having to place tho
apple or pear in a bucket and empty
ing II out in a BOX will pick another.
Where the fruit is allowed to hang on
the tree IL will have to be picked.
hauled to the packing house and then
culled out 1t takes Just as much time
10 handle second or Gull as II does
first and the prices runs from one
half 10 .fhree-fourths less. We not
only make saving In thinning. but
increase the number Of firsts and that
means an Increased Income.