The Delta independent., 1920-07-02

ment OF Agriculture)
The finest peach that any man ever
saw was the one away at the end of
the topmost limb where it could not
be reached without breaking the tree
and possibly the mans neck. OF
course, like the fish that got away, it
isn't really any finer than some other
peach, but it looks that way and
causes a great deal of unhappiness.
Then, there is another very sad
sight A limb breaks under the weight
OF great many fine peaches, and the
fruit you had expected to put to such
excellent use shrivels and goes to
waste.
And the saddest thought of all is
that both disasters could have been
prevented by proper pruning. Not
every peach grower realizes the i'm
portance of pruning in its relation
to his bank account or to his table
supply of fruit, if he is growing only
for home use. However, large orchard
owners usually follow more or less
closely some plan or system even
though they may have no clean-cut
conception of just what their plan m
wolves. The owner of a few trees
frequently goes at it more haphaz-
ardly than does one growing fruit on
a commercial scale.
The principal objects sought in
pruning, according to the United
States department of agriculture
pomologists, are: To modify the vigor
of the tree; to keep the tree shapely
and within bounds; to make the tree
more stocky; to open the tree top to
admit air and sunshine; to reduce the
struggle for existence In the tree top;
to remove dead or interfering
branches; to renew the vigor of the
tree; to aid in stimulating sufficient
new wood growth and the develop
ment of fruit buds; to secure good
distribution of fruit buds throughout
the tree; to thin the fruit; to induce
uniformity in the npening of the
fruit; to make thorough spraying pos
sible: to facilitate the harvesting of
the fruit.
Prune in Early Spring.
In general, the proper time to prune
peach trees is during the dormant
period. preferably In late winter or
early spring just before growth starts.
except in regions where bleeding from
wounds is likely to occur. In such
regions 1t should probably be done
In early winter. But conditions and
the object of the pruning must be
considered in each case.
II the pruning operations are very
extensive it may be necessary to prune
throughout the winter whenever the
weather is suitable for men to work
In the orchard. If the fruit buds are
endangered during the winter by ad-
verse temperatures 1t may be advis-
able to delay pruning as much as
economic conditions permit until set
tied spring weather arrives. This is
especially advisable If heavy heading
back of the previous seasons growth
Is desirable for the sake of the tree,
since if n large proportion of the fruit
buds are killed it may be best for
the prospective crop not to cut back
heavily.
During the dormant period. between
the first and second year, the first
years growth, provided it has been
thrifty and vigorous. should be
headed back rather heavily.
Perhaps one-half or two-thirds Of
the growth should be removed. How
ever. this needs to be considered with
view to: The symmetry OF the tree
its strength and vigor, and its future
development. In order to provide for an
open, well-formed head in later years,
1t may be necessary to thin out some
OF the smaller, secondary branches.
In doing this, however, provision must
be made for uniform distribution of
limbs SO spaced that the open top de-
sired will be insured, vet leaving the
main limbs with an ample number of
secondary branches,
Pruning the second and third years
does not differ in principle from that
of the first. At each pruning the pre-
vious seasons srowthsis headed back.
though perhaps not quite as much as
at the first pruning. This. however,
will depend upon the character of the
growth and the condition of the tree.
II II is stocky and strong, less heavy
heading back will be required to serve
the end In view. but long. slender.
spindling growth should be shortened
back as severely after the second or
third season as ut the earlier pruning.
At each subsequent pruning, the
secondary branches require the same
attention as Mt the first pruning. The
points which require particular atten-
tlon are thinning out enough to keep
| the top open and shortening in heav-