32 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENsioN Service  [Circ. 42 
surprising how quickly an individual can learn to closely estimate the 
number of peaches on a tree with a little practice. A thinning 
schedule adapted from Weldon is shown in table 2. Any desired 
vield ean be computed from the fieures given. 
TABLE 2 
THINNING SCHEDULE OF PEACHES 
Number of peaches to be left on each tree to produce the tonnages indicated, 
of the 24-inch or of the 2%4-inch size 
Tons per acre 
desired 
Trees planted 20 feet . 
by 20 feet 
(108 per acre) 
> 14-inch size 
23/.inch size 
Trees planted 24 feet 
by 24 feet 
(75 per acre) 
23-inch size 
3lé-inch size 
70 54 101 7 
350 270 505 385 
700 | 540 | 1010 | 770 
1050 810 1515 1155 
Peaches are thinned by hand. All misshapen, blemished, or other- 
wise inferior fruits are removed, leaving one specimen to a eluster, and 
spacing the remainder to the desired distance. In connection with 
thinning, judicious dormant pruning to remove excess fruiting wood 
is helpful. Under some conditions, such as low priees or shortage of 
labor, thinning may be done by means of long poles. 
Bracing. *>—When the crop is heavy, propping or bracing is neces- 
sary to prevent the breakage of limbs (fig. 7). Young trees may be 
supported by passing rope around the outer limbs. After the trees 
have attained sufficient height, a permanent system of wiring may be 
installed. There are various systems and kinds of equipment used 
ranging in cost from 25 to 35 cents per tree. 
Removal of Trees—In the case of unprofitable orchards or of 
orchards too closely planted it is sometimes necessary to remove all or 
some of the trees. This may be accomplished best by pulling them 
when the ground is wet, or by blasting when the ground is dry. One 
method of removal by pulling is by means of a team or tractor and 
a tackle with a chain around the trunk near the ground. Another 
method is by means of a portable derrick (fig. 8), which is set in place 
over the stump to be removed. Trees to be removed may previously 
be cut back to stumps and these left to die and the roots to partially 
15 Barnard, L. C. Central wire bracing for fruit trees, California Agr. Exp. Sta. 
Cir. 244:1-10. 1922,