Unsound fruit should be removed as soon as its injury can be conveniently detected and worked into the soil by cultivation; never, however, being allowed to collect in masses, which is productive of decay and which may be injurious to roots.  If trees are injured sufficiently to lose most of their leaves, the fruit should also be removed if it shows a disposition to hang on.  This will be a contribution to the strength of the tree and its ability to clothe itself with new foliage.

Pruning Frosted Citrus Trees.

How shall I prune two-year-old orange orchard, also nursery stock buds that are badly injured by frost; how much to prune and at what time?

As soon as you can see how far injury has gone down the branch or stem, cut below it, so that a new shoot may push out from sound wood, and heal the cut as soon as possible.  This applies to growths of all ages.  In the case of buds, if you can only save a single node you may get a bud started there and make a tree of that.  In the case of trees, large or small, it is always desirable to cut above the forkings of the main branches, if possible, and when this much of the tree remains sound, a new tree can be formed very quickly.  If the main stem is injured, bark cracked, etc., cut below the ground and put scions in the bark without splitting the root crown; wax well or otherwise cover exposed wood to prevent checking.  If this is successfully done, root-rot may be prevented and the wound covered with new bark while the strong new stems are developing above.

Pruning Oranges.

Is it best to prune out orange trees by removing occasional branches so as to permit free air passage through the trees?  Some are advocating doing so; but as I remember, the trees in southern California are allowed to grow quite dense, so that we could see into the foliage but very little.

It is a matter of judgment, with a present tendency toward a more open tree than was formerly prescribed.  Trees should be more thrifty and should bear more fruit deeper in the foliage-wall if more air and light are admitted.  But this can be had without opening the tree so that free sight of its interior is possible.  We believe thinning of the growth to admit more light and air is good, but we should not intentionally cut enough to make holes in the tree.

Pecan Growing.

Would you advise planting of pecans in commercial orchards here?  Walnuts in their proper location constitute some of California’s best improvements.  After visiting some bearing paper-shell pecans here in Fresno county, I believe a pecan orchard of choice variety would be more desirable than a walnut orchard.

Pecans do well on moist rich land in the interior valleys where there are sharper temperature changes than in the coast valleys, except perhaps near the upper coast.  Such planting as you propose seems promising on lands having moisture enough to carry the nuts to full ripening.