Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1922-12-13
''LONC ME THOD"
OF PRUNING IS
MOST EFFECTIVE
Local Farmers Interested
in Demonstration of
New Method
BY e. L. GARTHWAITE,
Farm Advisor

FARMERS in Imperial County are
taking unusual interest in the COM
ing deciduous tree pruning demon
!. STATIONS, which have been arrang-
ed by the agricultural extension
service for December % and %.
The reason for this unusual inter
est is that reports have spread here
from other districts of the wonder
full results secured by fruit growers
in other parts of the state after
adopting this system.
Prof. b. II. Crocheron, state lead
err of agricultural extension in his
annual report July /, 1922 to June
so, 1922 says:
"In California since 1918 the so
called long method of pruning has
been advocated by the division of
pomology of the college of agricul-
ture as a result of its experiments.
This method was entirely different
from the general and firmly estab-
lishcd practice of stumbling back
The chief advantages of the long
system are believed to be earlier
bearing, less susceptibility to frost
and increased quantity of fruit.
cit has previously been reported
how in the winter Of 1929 repre-
sentatives of the division of pomol
ogy conducted 1913 demonstrations OF
this method of pruning with county
fam advisors throughout California
These demonstrations, together with
1873 others given by the farm ad
visors, had total attendance OF
: 1861 persons. At many of these
demonstrations the farm advisors
located permanent plots contrasting
the two diverse pruning methods
The plots were designed to show by
resultant measure yields the compar
alive effects of the two methods
While it was impossible to know tn,
action taken by all of those person,
in attendance at the demonstrations
it is known that 3,j77 of them went
home and used the new method OF
pruning on J9,91S acres.
Long Pruning Very Popular
''But, the above demonstration
and advisory areas are now only ;
small percentage of those which ar,
long pruned. BY 1922 whole frui
districts have gone over TO the lon.
pruning system. 1t is rapidly be
coming the common practice. Tn,
division of pomology estimates tina
half the area in the state is lonl
pruned and that on the average /
has increased the crop by onc-third
There is abundant testimony tina
the new system increased the yielt
% to 80 percent, and many asscr
as high as 100 percent.
I'm Kings County, long prunc,
trees at three years of age yielde,
100 pounds more of good fruit pc
tree than did the short pruncd trees
In. Placer County the financial in
crease due to the long pruning alone
is conservativcly estimated at $50,
900 per year. In Tulafc County il
one apricot orchard 800 long prunet
trees gave a yield of 80 tons oil
apricots and 800 short pruned tree,
gave a yield of only 1876 tons OF
fruit accepted at the cannery.
SIN Stanisaus County the long
pruned plots of apricots more than
doubled the yield. In Fresno Coun
ty, one grower whose six year III
berta peach orchard produced &c
tons of fruit in 1917, and 80 tons
= in 1918 changed to the long system
; of pruning in the winter of 1918
1919. This grower reports 90 tons
from the SAME orchard in 1919, II
tons in 1920, and ll2 tons in 1921
Another grower in the same county
reports Is tons of peaches from 90
long pruned trees and only four and
one half tons from 90 short pruned
trees.
Increase of Millions
"The bureau of crop estimates
states that in 1921 the deciduous
fruit crop of California had farm
value of $47,545, 900. If half of this
crop was under the influence of long
pruning, ON the basis of the esti
mate of the division of pomology
we would conclude that the annual
income from California orchards
has been increased a little less than
seven million dollars, or an increase
in the productive capital of Califor
mia orchards of hundred million
dollars.