Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1874 — Do Not Neglect to Thin Out Young Fruit. [ARTICLE]

Do Not Neglect to Thin Out Young Fruit.

Young trebs should .be allowed to bear only a few. specimens as their growth and healthy development will be of far more value than the fruit. It is ruinous to young trees to mature a full crop of fruit. This is one reason why we see so many stunted trees. It seems difficult for many'people to bring their decision up to a point which requires them to diminish the quantity of fruit upon their trees. Sometimes they plead want of time; but this is not admissible, for if they have not time to attend to the proper cultivation of fruit they should abandon it altogether. The real cause is their greediness. You can’t make them believe that they are the gainers by destroying a portion of the crop, saying that nature is the best judge as to the quantity of fruit. Such persons have no practical knowledge of fruit raising, and the sooner they give it up the better it will be for them, .their pockets and reputation. As soon as pear and peach trees begin to show their product, Are thinning-out process may be begun at almost any time. It is true the operation can be performed conveniently only upon such trees as are not over large. But it should be especially attended to in young trees, which frequently overbear, to the great injury of the health of the trees as well as the quality of the fruit. To obtain the finest specimens of pears the specimens should not be allowed to grow in clusters or in contact with each other, and all that exhibit the least imprerfection should be removed. What is lost in number will be doubly made up in size and flavor. This should be remembered. Many persons regard the thinning out of peaches, pears and apples as so much loss. But they are not judges of fruit and have no knowledge of its proper culture. They want as large a crop as possible, letting the quality take care of itself, no matter JiQ w^niuch the tree is damaged and~what effect it may have on the following year’s crop. Our own practice is to pinch off hundreds of pears, apples, peaches and other fruit, leavihg only four to ten or twenty on a tree, according, to the size. After a tree has been growing vigorously for four or five seasong, it may be allowed to produce a small crop.— N. F. Herald.