File:Catalogue (1906) (20388997930).jpg

Title: (Catalogue)
Identifier: catalogue1906fanc (find matches)
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Fancher Creek Nurseries; Roeding, George Christian, 1868-1928; Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection
Subjects: Nursery stock California Fresno Catalogs; Nurseries (Horticulture) California Fresno Catalogs; Fruit trees Seedlings Catalogs; Fruit Catalogs; Plants, Ornamental Catalogs; Trees Seedlings Catalogs; Shrubs Catalogs
Publisher: Fresno, Calif. : George C. Roeding
Contributing Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Digitizing Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

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30 CATALOGUE OF THE
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Pruning the Peach Tree. 1 First Year. 2 Second Year. 3 Third JYear. THE PEACH The Peach, lifce the prune and apricot is indeed a fruit of commercial importance to economic horticulture, and finds wide dis- tribution not only in California, but through- out the length and breadth of the Pacific slope. For size, flavor, color and shipping qualities the peaches grown in this State have a national reputation. The tree pre- fers a light, deep, sandy loam, preferably inclined to be dry rather than too moist, but well drained. It should be not less than three or four feet deep, the more depth the better. The general cultural directions for the handling of deciduous fruit trees in the introductory chapters should be closely fol- lowed in the case of the Peach tree. Noth- ing will bring a peach tree to a premature end quicker than not to prune. The trees as they stand in nursery rows, have the limbs removed to a point about 12 inches from the ground. Instead of removing all these limbs when topping the tree at 18 inches, they should be cut back to about two inches long, so in case the buds on the main body do not start in the spring, the buds and the smaller branches will. If the buds do start on the main body, the branchlets may be clipped off with a shear. This is a very important point, particularly with peach trees, and if followed by planters generally would in many cases obviate the necessity of growing a new stem, where the buds happen to be blind and fail to start out at the proper height from the ground. From three to five branches should form the head of the tree, and these should be cut back to 12 inches the first winter after planting, and distributed in such a man- ner on the body of the tree so as to pre- vent crowding and the development of forks. The aim of the pruner should be to open up the tree and cut out any central leaders. The second year a severe heading back again should take place, not leaving over two feet of the new growth. Thin out the numerous small laterals, allowing only a few to remain and remove any which are close to the point where the frame- work branches have been topped. If such laterals are allowed to remain, the new growth in the spring will force its way through them instead of forcing buds out where they belong, making an ugly crook in the tree. The third season from two to three shoots should be allowed to start from the branches of the year before, and they in turn should have their growth short- ened in about one-half. The head of the tree will in the third season be fully formed and a medium crop of fruit may be expect- ed The fourth year the multiplication of new branches should be allowed to' de- velop from those of the year before in about the same ratio, at the same time following out the shortening in method.

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