Do not Cut down the Peach Trees.
By J. H. W.
This morning a friend told me that the peach trees were killed; not the fruit buds only, but the trees. Some may be, but that they are, to any great extent, I do not believe. My object in writing this note is to caution against trusting to present appearances, and cutting down valuable trees. The spring is not the time to judge of the condition of a peach tree under the circumstances. The wood under the bark may look dark and dead, and still the tree be alive. More than this; the tree may be so injured by cold that it has not strength to put out leaves in the spring, and still not be killed. Wait until August; if there is any vitality in the tree, it will show it in that month by putting out leaves. If it does not leaf out in August, you may safely cut it down as a cumberer of the ground. This is no guess work, but the result of observation. I have seen peach trees cut down, supposed to be dead, that put out leaves in the brush pile; and I have seen trees, pronounced dead by all who saw them, leaf out in August, and bear fruit the next year. I have known such trees to bear several crops before a young orchard could be raised to good bearing size. It requires some faith and patience to let them stand through the spring and early summer with no appearance of life. But none who wait till August to test the matter will regret it. If some are killed, others may be saved by waiting. J. H. W.