Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-19
PRUNE CULTURE IN OREGON


ana care, mas Deen issued Dy the de-
partment of horticulture of the Ore
gon Agricultural college. The results
were reached mainly through a study
of the prune industry in Oregon, and
should be of interest to prune grow
ers in Polk county.
J. There is considerable controversy,
especially in the western section, as
TO the best locations for prunes. Some
men prefer the bottom lands, either
the sandy loans along the rivers, or
the stronger clay soils. The conten-
ton is that these lower elevations
produce larger prunes and greater
yield. Another set of growers, how
ever, stoutly maintain that the roll
ing hills are the only places for
prunes, and while their plums are
smaller, nevertheless they are heavier
and sweeter, and their orchards are
more reliable. East Of the mountains
the prunes are generally planted in
the silt loans.
Since all plum trees blossom in ear
ly spring, they are very subject to
loss from frosts and cold rains. To
offset the loss from frosts, the south
ern and eastern exposures should be
avoided, since the thawing out on
such exposures is very rapid, leading
to breakdown of the tissues.
4. When planted on the lighter loans,
the peach root is preferred, but on
the stronger loans, plum roots are
preferable. As yet not enough in
vestigation has been conducted to de-
termine what species of plum roots
are the most desirable for the var
ious locations.
' On the lighter soils, or higher ele-
vations, the trees are planted from
eighteen to twenty feet apart, but on
the stronger loans, from twenty to
twenty-five feet should be allowed.
Some growers claim that on extreme
~ rich soils, twenty-five feet is a
more desirable distance.
The tillage given prunes is very
similar to that given other deciduous
fruits grown in the northwest. In
all young orchards the tillage should
be very thorough in the early spring.
With trees not in bearing, tillage
should cease by the middle of July.
In many of the bearing orchards,
where the tillage has been very thor
3ugh in the early spring months, suf-
icient vigor of tree and size of fruit
is often obtained so that tillage can
be discontinued by the middle of Ju-
y or the first of August, but in many
Of the orchards it will be necessary
% continue the tillage up to about
.he time of harvest, which comes lat
sr, varying from the first of August
o the middle of September.
Formerly, the trees were all head
ID from thirty to forty inches in
height. In more recent years, how
,ver, many growers are heading from
wenty to twenty-four inches and pro-
iucing very satisfactory trees. The
iame general principles which apply
o the pruning of apple trees also
Ipply to the prune. Care should be
aiken to have the main scaffold limbs
paced as far apart as possible. Strong
leading back is necessary the first
ew years. With many orchards, sum-
ner pruning can be conducted advan-
ageously, the pruning being done
argely in June and consisting of
utting back of the terminals to the
'oint where it is desirable to force
ut new laterals. Occasionally lit
lie thinning out of the laterals is
racticed. When the trees reach their
eavy bearing, which is about the {
eventh year, il is desirable to give
he trees moderate pruning annual 1
'. the aim being to keep the trees /
,ell supplied with strong one and !
wood as the large plums
re found almost invariably on the
irorous wood. Where orcahrds have
cen allowed to run down somewhat, ,
! is often found desirable to thin
Mt the spurs with hand shears, and |
n this way reinvigorate the remain :
ne spurs. Where trees are very much
MI down. the most satisfactory treat
nent will probably be to dehorn ,
hem, forcing out new vigorous top !
yhich, in from three to four years, ,
rill produce commercial crops of
ruit. J
Very little hand-thinning is done
nth plums and prunes in the Pacific ,
orthwest. The Italian prunes gener- I
lily thin themselves. Some varie-
Ics of plrms, however, must have {
and-thinning. /
Very little work has been done as
ct with manures or fertilizers. Com 4
iercial fertilizers. where tried. have
ever given striking results, in the I
lder orchards. The growers are find
Nc that, in the older orchards, a
table compost is very desirable.