Modern Fruit Production

RURAL TEXTBOOK SERIES Edited by L. H. Bailey Modern Fruit Production THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK. BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS ATLAN1A SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MADRAS MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED TORONTO Modern Fruit Production by JOSEPH HARVEY GOURLEY HORTICULTURIST THE OHIO AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION PROFESSOR OF HORTICULTURE THE OHIO STATE U N I V E R S I T Y FREEMAN SMITH HOWLETT ASSOCIATE HORTICULTURIST - THE OHIO AGRI CULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HORTICULTURE THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY New York The Macmillan Company COPYRIGHT, 1941, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE PUBLISHER, EXCEPT BY A REVIEWER WHO WISHES TO QUOTE BRIEF PASSAGES IN CONNECTION WITH A REVIEW WRITTEN FOR INCLUSION IN MAGAZINE OR NEWSPAPER Published February, PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AMERICAN BOOK-STRATFORD PRESS, INC., NEW YORK PREFACE Orcharding and small fruit culture represent a major phase of American agriculture, both domestic and export. With the in tensified development of the industry, the science of horticulture becomes more complex, and the professional horticulturist, the student, and the grower all feel the need of additional training and a ready source of recent research. Not only the American, but also the foreign, literature is increasing rapidly, and every branch of study demands consideration. The student of fruit culture, whether in or outside college, should have a grasp of general concepts. He should strive to interpret physiology, morphology, soils, chemistry, and other fundamental sciences interms of fruit plants and their products. The authors hope that they have presented the fundamentals in such a way that they become of vital concern to the serious student. At the same time, they have endeavored to present the most acceptable practices of American fruitgrowing. Pomology has developed into a science in its own right, similar in its fundamental background to other plant sciences. The horti culturist must always remember, however, that he is the representa tive of a vast industry, and that his scientific efforts and leadership must be based on practical considerations. No effort is made, therefore, to force scientific data into this text except as they form a basis for modern fruit production. The general subject of insect and disease control has not been included in this volume. The field is so extensive and specialized as to lie outside our immediate purposes hence only incidental reference is made to sprays and spray practice. The present volume represents a complete rewriting and expan sion of the Text-Book of Pomology. While a few portions of it remain much the same as they were in the original text, by far the major vi PREFACE portion of material is entirely new both as to American and foreign sources. Acknowledgments The authors of this work have drawn freely upon the published material of their associates in the general plant field. Although no attempt or pretention has been made to cite all acceptable literature dealing with a subject, yet the authors have endeavored to select such representative experiments and data as would assist the reader to a better understanding of the problem. Fellow workers have been most helpful either in reading portions of the text orin offer ing suggestions through correspondence, and also in furnishing illustrative material. Our sincere appreciation is hereby expressed. We are particularly indebted to Dr. J. R. Magness for a critical and helpful reading of the entire manuscript. Special assistance and courtesies have been extended by Dr. F. P. Cullinan, Dr. R. M. Smock, Dr. Leon Havis, Professor F. H. Beach, Dr. Reid M. Brooks, and Dr. L. D. Baver. Two of our students, Wesley P. Judkins and David Allmendinger, assisted in the compiling of data and the checking of literature. To Jean W...