Fruit Growing
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18 To 20 Inches Above The Ground
Take off the lower shoots whenever your knife is sharp. Do not let them grow another year. Theoretically, the best time to remove them is toward the end of the dormant season, but if they are not large as compared with the whole growth of the tree, ... A Wrong Idea Of Inter-planting
What forage plant can I grow in a newly planted orchard? The soil is on a gently inclined hillside - red, decomposed rock, very deep, mellow, fluffy, and light, and deep down is clayish in character. It cannot be irrigated, therefore I wish to p... Acres Of Oranges To A Man
In your opinion, is it possible for one man, of average strength, to take perfect care of a twenty-acre citrus orchard? Are the services of a man who takes the entire responsibility of an orchard (citrus) worth more than those of a common ranch ... Aged Peach Trees
What should be done with peach trees 35 years old which are becoming unthrifty, bearing only at the ends of the limbs, etc.? Old peach trees become bark-bound and need to be cut back to just above the crotch for the forcing out of new branche... Almond And Peach
With water-table at 18 feet, which root is best for almond trees? The experience around here is that the peach root starts best. Which root is most durable? What is the life of the peach root and of the almond? It is not merely a question of d... Almond Planting
I am contemplating the planting of about five to eight acres of almonds: what variety is best to plant? Before planting so many almonds, you should determine how satisfactory the almond is in bearing in your location. Unless you can find sati... Almond Pollination
My almond trees look healthy but the fruit seems to be diseased. Is it necessary to have male and female trees, and how can one distinguish them? The almond is monoecious and has perfect blossoms, therefore, there is no such thing as male and... Almond Seedlings
I have been told that almond trees raised from seed, no matter what kind of seed planted, will produce bitter almonds. Is this a fact? It is not a fact. The majority will probably be hard-shell, sweet and bitter, but others will be soft-shell,... Apple Budding
What is the best time to bud apples? Apples are budded in July and August and remain dormant until the following spring. ... Apple Root-grafts
I have an old apple orchard and would like to have two or three of the best varieties positively identified, so that I can order these kinds from the nursery for next year's planting. Old California apple orchards have many varieties no longer... Apples And Alfalfa
I have recently come across a proposition to sow apple orchards in the interior of southern California with alfalfa. The apples are said to be superior and the crop heavier, to say nothing of a half or two-thirds of an alfalfa crop in addition t... Apples And Cherries For A Hot Place
What kind of apple do you think would do best in a dry, hot climate? What do you think of the Early Richmond cherry in such a place? Apples most likely to succeed in a dry situation are those which ripen their fruit very early. The Red Astrach... Apricot Propagation
Can Royal apricots be grafted into seedling apricots? Do the scions do well? What is the best time to graft them? The apricot is grafted readily by the ordinary cleft grafting, amputating above the forks if the tree is low-headed enough to all... As To Use Of The Land You Lose Time By Growing The Seedlings In Place
The peach does well on the almond root if soil conditions favor the almond. Perhaps it gives longer life to the peach, but the profitable life of the peach tree in a proper soil does not depend on the root; it depends upon the treatment of the top in ... August
... Avoiding Crotches In Fruit Trees
How can I avoid bad crotches in fruit trees? Crotches, which means branches of equal or nearly equal size, emerging from a point at a very acute angle, should be prevented by cutting out one or both of them. The branching of a lateral at a lar... Bananas In California
Is there any reason why bananas would not grow and bear in the vicinity of Merced if they had plenty of water? Or would the cool nights at certain seasons keep them from bearing? Would they do better in the Imperial valley? Bananas would suff... Bartletts Solidly Without Reference To Preparation For Pollination
Taking the matter the other way around, the Bartlett will do for pollination of the Comice probably, if that should be necessary. ... Bees And Pear Blight
A few years ago, I planted alfalfa between my pear trees and the trees bore a very heavy crop that year. Then blight made its appearance, and it was claimed that the bees carried the blight. I therefore plowed under the alfalfa and destroyed wha... Blackberries For Drying Only
What variety of blackberries or raspberries are the best for drying purposes? Are berries successfully dried in evaporators? This is a natural berry country. Wild blackberries are a wonder here. Transportation facilities do not allow raising for... Bleeding Vines
Will pruning grape vines when they bleed injure them? ... Branching Young Fruit Trees
It is the practice in this locality to wrap all young trees to a point 24 inches above the bud, for the purpose of protection against rabbits, to protect the bark from the sun and to prevent growth of sprouts. These wrappings are kept on indefin... Bridging Gopher Girdles
How shall I make the bridge-graft or root-graft over the trunks of trees girdled by gophers? Has this method proved successful in saving trees three or four inches in diameter, and how is it done? The bridging over of injury by mice by graftin... Budding And Grafting Almonds
Is it better to bud or graft bitter almond seedlings of one year's growth, and, as they must be transplanted, would it be proper to do the work this season or defer it for another year's growth? Your almond seedlings should have been budded in... Budding Fruit Trees
Is it better to bud in old bark of an old tree or in younger wood bark? How do you separate old bark without breaking it in lifting the bark? Buds may be placed in old bark of fruit trees to a certain extent. The orange and the olive work bett... Budding Old Olives
I have seedling olive trees, set out in 1904, which I wish to change over to the Ascolano variety. Which is the best way to do it, by budding or grafting, and what is the proper time? Twig-budding brings the sap of the stock to bear upon a you... Budding Olive Seedlings
I have planted olive seeds which are just sprouting now. Can these be budded next June or July in the nursery row, or can they be bench-grafted the following winter? Your seedlings may make growth enough to spur-bud this summer. The ordinary ... Budding Or Grafting In Orange Orchard
I have land now ready to be planted to oranges, but it is impossible for me to buy the necessary budded stock now or even later this year. Would you advise me to plant the "sour stock" as it comes from the nursery and have it budded or crown-bud... Budding Orange Seedlings In The Orchard
What are the objections or advantages of planting sour stock seedlings where one wishes the trees and one or two years later bud into the branches instead of budding the young stock low on the trunk? Planting the seedling and at some future ti... Budding Oranges
My first attempt at budding, I cut 20 buds and immediately inserted in stock of Mexican sour orange "Amataca." I left bands on them for ten days at which time about half seemed to have "stuck," but after a few days the bark curled away and the b... Budding Oranges
How late in the fall can budding of orange trees be done - plants that are two years old - and what advantage, if any, is late budding? What shall I do with some old trees that were budded about two months ago and are still green but not sproute... Buds In Bearing Trees
In budding over some old peach trees, should I cut away the branch above the bud when the latter seems to have taken? The sap flow to the upper part of the branch should be checked by part girdling or by part breaking or bending the top above ... California
It cannot. It has not been done in Florida nor anywhere else. The osage orange is not an orange at all. The tree is not a member of the citrus family. ... Canning Olives
What is the recipe for preserving olives by heat, and how long do they have to remain in the heated state? Canning olives is a process, not a recipe, and it has to be operated with judgment. It resembles, of course, the common process of canni... Carobs In California
Will the carob tree (St. John's Bread) do well in the Sacramento valley, and is it a desirable tree for lining a driveway? Carobs have been grown in California for thirty years or more and they will make a handsome driveway and give a lot of p... Citrus Budding
... Cleaning Fruit Trays
What do you advise for killing and removing the whitish mold that forms on trays used for drying prunes? Would sunning the trays be effective, or washing in hot water, or is there some suitable fungicide? Good hot sun and dry wind will kill th... Coal Tar And Asphaltum On Trees
What is the effect of coal tar or asphaltum applied to the bark of trees? The application of coal tar to prevent the root borers of the prune which operate near the surface of the ground was found to be not injurious to the trees, although th... Comice Pears
Would you plant Comice pears instead of Bartletts, and why? What is their behavior as to bearing? Do they require any different treatment than Bartletts? What roots? Do they need other varieties for pollinizing? Do not plant Cornice instead o... Covering Sunburned Bark
Would asphaltum do to use an sunburned bark? Owing to the attraction of the heat by the black color, asphaltum would increase the injury by absorption of more heat. Some white coating is altogether best for sunburn injuries, because it will re... Covering Tree Wounds
What is the best stuff to use on wounds and large cuts on my fruit trees? I have used grafting wax, but it is expensive and not altogether satisfactory. Amputation wounds on trees can be more successfully treated with lead and oil paint than ... Crops Between Fruit Trees
What would be best to grow between fruit trees, while the trees are growing, and what to alternate each season, so as not to use up the soil without putting back into it? Where one is bringing along a young orchard, without irrigation, it is ... Crops Between Orange Trees
What crop can I plant between rows of young orange trees to utilize the ground as well as pay a little something? It depends not alone upon what will grow, but upon what can be profitably sold or used on the place, and unless sure of that, it ... Crotch-splitting Of Fruit Trees
I have a young fig tree that is splitting at the crotches. I fear that when the foliage appears, with the force of the winds the limbs will split down entirely. Perhaps you have been forcing the trees too much with water and thus secured too ... Cultivating Olives
How deep should an olive orchard be plowed? I was told that by plowing deep I would injure my trees, in cutting up small rootlets and fibres which the olive extends through the surface soil. Is this so or not? Plowing olives is like plowing ot... Curing Citron
I wish to know a way to cure citrons at home. I have a fine tree that has borne very fine-looking fruit for the past two years. An outline for the preparation of candied citron is as follows: The fruit, before assuming a yellow color, and also... Cutting Back Almonds
I have some nice thrifty two-year-old almond trees which I did not "top" this spring. The limbs are from about four to seven or eight feet long. Would it not be best to "top" them yet? Cut them back to a shoot of this year's growth, removing a... Cutting Back Apples And Pears
"California Fruits" says the "apple does not relish cutting back, nor is it desirable to shorten in the branches." But when a three-year-old tree gets above 12 feet high, as many of mine are doing, what are you going to do? I cut these back same... Cutting Back At Planting
I have planted a lot of one-year-old cherry trees and would like to know if I should cut them down the same as the apple tree? I have also planted a lot of walnut trees. Shall I cut them off? Yes for the cherries and no for the walnuts - altho... Cutting Back Frosted Vine Canes
Vines have been badly injured by the late frosts, especially the young vines which were out the most. Is there anything to be done with the injured shoots now on the vines so as to help the prospects of a crop? If shoots are only lightly frost... Cutting Below Dead Wood
I have some seedling English walnut trees which are two years old, but they are not coming out in bud this year. They are about three feet high, and from the top down to about 10 inches of the ground the limbs are dark brown, and below that they... Darkening Pickled Olives
Is there anything that will make olives keep their black color when put into lye? When I put my first picking of ripe olives in lye, a large part of them turn green, the black leaving the fruit. My formula is one pound of lye to five gallons of ... Deferring Bloom Of Fruit Trees
Have any experiments ever been carried on definitely to decide what causes early blossoming of fruit trees? For instance, have adjacent trees of the same variety been treated definitely by putting a heavy mulch around one to hold the cold temper... Depth In Planting Fruit Trees
... Depth Of Soil For Fruit
Would four feet of good loose soil be enough for lemons? Four feet of good soil, providing the underlying strata are not charged with alkali, would give you a good growth of lemon trees if moisture was regularly present in about the right quan... Die-back Of Apple Trees
What causes the death of the top shoots in apple trees? New wood is sometimes diseased by mildew, but die-back is usually due to two different causes: One, the accumulation of water in the soil during the excessive rains of mid-winter; second,... Dipping Roots Of Fruit Trees
In planting an almond orchard would it be of any benefit to dip the young trees in a solution of bluestone and lime dissolved? We doubt if it would serve any good purpose. If done at all the dip should be carefully prepared in accordance with ... Dipping Thompson Seedless
What is the process of dipping and bleaching Thompson seedless grapes? One recipe for dipped raisins is as follows: One quart olive oil; 3/4-pound Greenbank soda and 3 quarts water are made into an emulsion, and then reduced with 10 gallons wa... Do Not Plant Almonds In Place
I have 30 acres which I intend to plant to almonds and peaches, and I thought of planting the sprouted nuts and pits where I wanted my trees, and budding the same there in orchard form. As one or two years' use of the land is not considered, wha... Dry Farming With Grapes
I have heard that they are planting Muscat grapes on the dry farming plan. Will it be successful? Grapes have been grown in California on the dry farming plan ever since Americans came 60 years ago. Grapes can be successfully grown by thoroug... Drying Plums And Prunes
I have plum trees of various kinds that are loaded with fruit. I do not know if any are of the variety used for drying as prunes: I know nothing of the process of making or drying prunes. One man suggests that I dip them for four or live minutes... Dwarf Pears Not Commercially Grown
Will you kindly give the experience of pear growers in California who have grown the dwarfs? If you can give me the data or refer me to persons who can give data showing that the growing of dwarf pears can be made a commercial success the inform... Dwarfing A Fruit Tree
I am told that by pruning the roots of a young tree after the root system is well started (say three years old) that as a result this will produce a tree that is semi-dwarfed or practically a dwarfed fruit tree. Yes; cutting back the roots in ... Dying Back Of Fruit Trees
I have a few orange and lemon trees that are starting to die. One tree has died on the top. What kind of spray shall I use? The dying back of a tree at the top indicates that the trouble is in the roots, and it is usually due to standing water... Early Bearing Of Walnuts
Please inform me if young walnut trees grafted on black walnut stock will produce fruit within 18 months after being planted. It is true that the French varieties of English walnuts have produced fruit the second summer of their growth. This d... Filling Holes In Trees
I have a number of trees that, on account of poor pruning and improper care, are decaying in the center. Many of them are hollow for a foot or more down the trunk. Excavate all the decayed wood with a chisel or gouge or whatever cutting tool ... For A Bark Wound
What is best to do with an apricot or prune tree when it has been hit with an implement and the bark knocked off? Cut around the bark wound with a sharp knife so as to remove all frayed edges. Cover the exposed wood with oil and lead paint to ... For Broken Roots
When the root of an orange or other fruit tree is exposed or brakes by the cultivator, what is the best way to treat that root? Where a root is actually broken it is best to cut it off cleanly above the break. This will induce quick healing ov... Forage Under Sprayed Trees
Is it safe to use arsenical sprays in a pear orchard in which alfalfa is raised between the trees and afterward cut and fed to cattle? It was fully demonstrated by experiment about 25 years ago that herbage under trees sprayed with paris green... French Or Italian
In the prune-growing district around Salem, Oregon, Italian prunes are grown exclusively for drying purposes. French prunes were considered worthless. Here in Sutter county, California, a great many French prunes are grown and we are advised to ... Fruit And Overflow
I have 16 acres of rich bottom-land that overflows and is under water from 24 to 48 hours. I would like to set the ground to fruit trees, either prunes, pears, apricots, or peaches. Would it be safe to set them on such land? Fruit trees will ... Fruit Trees And Sunburn
How long is it wise to leave protection around young fruit trees set out in March in this hot valley? The trees are doing well, but we could not tell when to take away protection. It is necessary to maintain the protection from sunburn all thr... Fruit Trees In A Wet Place
... Glossing Dried Prunes
Will you give the method for giving the gloss to dried French prunes? There are various methods. One pound of glycerine to 20 gallons of water; a quick dip in the mixture very hot gives a good finish. Where a clear bloom rather than a shine, i... Grafting
I did a little grafting last spring, and as it was my first attempt, about ten per cent of the scions failed to grow. Now shall I saw the stub off lower down and try again, or bud into one of the sprouts that have grown around the cut end? The t... Grafting Almond On Peach
I had good success with the peach trees which I grafted to almond last spring, getting about 95 per cent of a stand, and many of the grafts now are one and one-half inches diameter. In each of the trees I left about a quarter of the branches, to... Grafting And Budding The Mulberry
What is the most approved manner of grafting mulberry trees? Am told that they are very difficult to successfully graft. Most propagators find the mulberry difficult by ordinary top and cleft grafting methods. A flute or ring graft or bud does... Grafting Apple Seedlings In Place
I want to plant apple trees for home use. I have an idea to plant apple seeds instead of trees: planting three or four seeds for each hill, right in the place where I would grow the trees, and select the best one to graft on. I will take seed of... Grafting Nuts On Oaks
I have 10 to 15 acres of black oak trees which I wish to graft over to chestnuts. Can grafting be done successfully? Some success has been secured in grafting the chestnut on the chestnut oak, but not, so far as we have heard, on the black oak... Grafting On The Peach
Will pears do to graft on the peach, or will plums do well on the peach? How soon ought they to bear when grafted on the peach which is past three years old? Pears cannot be grafted on peaches. Plums generally do well on the peach, and if the... Grafting Peach On Almond
May I expect to get good results by grafting some kind of peach to 19-year-old almond tree? If so, what kind of peach will be best? When shall I do grafting? Peaches take to the almond all right. Cut off and graft in the branches above the ma... Grafting Walnut Seedlings
Would it be proper to graft one-year California black walnut seedlings that must also be transplanted? As the seedlings must be moved, plant in orchard and graft as two or three-year-olds, according to the size which they attain. ... Grafting Walnuts
In cleft grafting walnuts is it necessary to use scions with only a leaf bud, or with staminate or pistillate buds? Is cutting the pith of the scion or stock fatal to the tree? In grafting walnuts it is usual to take shoots bearing wood buds,... Grafting Wax
How shall I make grafting wax for grafting fruit trees? There are many "favorite prescriptions" for grafting wax. One which is now being largely used in fruit tree grafting is as follows: Resin, 5 lbs.; beeswax, 1 lb.; linseed oil, 1 pint; flo... Grape Planting
What is the proper time for planting grape vines? Grape vines are most successfully planted after the heavy rains and low temperatures are over and before the growth starts: This will usually be whenever the soil is in good condition, during t... Grape Vines For An Arbor
How shall I prune grape vines, viz: Tokay, Black Cornichon, Muscat, Thompson Seedless, Rose of Peru, planted for a grape arbor? You can grow all the vines you mention with high stumps reaching part way or to the top of the arbor as you desire ... Grapefruit And Nuts
Peaches, pears and plums predominate in this section, but would not grapefruit, almonds and English walnuts be just as profitable? What is your idea about English walnuts on black walnut root? You can expect grapefruit to succeed under conditi... Growing Filberts
... Growing Olives From Seed
How are seedlings grown from olive seeds? Growing olives from seeds is promoted by assisting nature to break the hard shell. This can be done by pinching carefully with ordinary wire pliers until the shell cracks without injury to the kernel, ... Growing Strawberry Plants
In a patch of strawberries planted this spring, is it advisable to cut off runners or root some of them? In planting strawberries in matted rows, it is usual to allow a few runners to take root and thus fill the row. It is the judgment of plan... Handling Balled Citrus Trees
I have some orange and lemon trees which were sent me with their roots balled up with dirt and sacks. As we are still having frosts I have not wanted to set them out. Would it not be better to let them stay as they are and keep the sacks wet (th... Handling Walnut Seedlings
What is the best time to transplant seedlings of the black walnut? Transplant during the dormant season (as shown by absence of leaves) when the soil is in good condition. Handle them just as you would an apple tree, for instance. ... Hardiness Of Hybrid Berries
How much cold will Phenomenal, Himalaya and Mammoth blackberries stand in winter? Is it safe to plant where the temperature goes below 32 degrees? These berries are hardy to zero at least, for they are grown in northern parts of this coast wh... High-grafted Walnuts
What is the advantage of a high-grafted walnut? I am about ready to plant 10 acres to nuts and do not know whether to purchase Franquette grafted high on California Black or not. The advantage of grafting English walnut high on California Blac... How To Start English Walnuts
In starting English walnuts, shall we get nursery stock grafted on California black, or shall we start our black walnut seedlings in nursery plats, or plant the nuts where the tree is wanted, and graft them at two or three years? What is the adv... I Have A Lot Of Olive Trees Which Have Grown Up Around The Old Stumps
They are large trees and some of them have six or eight trunks. Should I cut away all but one trunk or let them alone? There are some of the trees with small olives; others none. If the olive trees which were originally planted were trained at first... I Have Been Advised To Plant The Bud Scar Above Ground In A Wet Country
Is that right? On ordinary good loam, plant the tree so that it will stand about the same as it did in the nursery: a little lower, perhaps, but not much. The bud scar should be a little above the surface. It is somewhat less likely to give trouble... I Have Olive Trees On First-class Land; No Pest Of Any Kind Is Apparent
The trees look healthy in every way, and average about 12 inches at the butt and 30 feet high. They have borne fruit, but for the last three years have not borne. I am advised to cut back to stumps, 5 or 6 feet high, and start new tops. Unsatisfact... I Need Something That Will Make A Sod During That Period
We would, in all the valleys, advise a fall irrigation (if the rains are late) and the sowing of burr clover, which when started in September will have the ground well covered by December, if you keep the moisture right to push it. Disking or plowin... I Send You Two Walnuts I Am In Doubt If They Will Mature
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