The Fundamentals of Fruit Production (2 Vols-Set)

Contents: Preface. I. Water relations: 1. The water requirements of fruit plants. 2. The intake and utilization of water. 3. Orchard soil management methods and moisture conservation. 4. Soil moisture: Its classification, movement and influence on root distribution. 5. The response of fruit plants to varying conditions of soil moisture and humidity. 6. Pathological conditions associated with excesses and deficiencies in moisture. 7. Irrigation. II. Nutrition: 8. Plant nutrients and their absorption. 9. Individual elements. 10. Manufacture and utilization of carbohydrates. 11. The initiation of the reproductive processes. 12. Surpluses and deficiencies. 13. The application of nitrogen-carrying fertilizers. 14. Fertilizers, other than nitrogenous in the orchard. III. Temperature relations of fruit plants: 15. Growing-season temperatures. 16. Winter killing and hardiness. 17. Winter injury. 18. Winter injury to the roots. 19. Winter injury in relation to specific fruits. 20. The occurrence of frost. 21. Protection against frost. IV. Light relations: 22. Thermal, photosynthetic and phototropic influences. 23. Photoperiodic influences. V. Growth regulators: 24. Natural growth regulators. 25. Synthetic growth regulators. VI. Pruning: 26. Growing and fruiting habits. 27. Pruning, the amount or severity. 28. Pruning, the method. 29. Pruning, the season. 30. Pruning with special reference to particular fruits. VII. Fruit setting: 31. The structures and processes concerned in fruit formation. 32. Unfruitfulness associated with internal factors. 33. Unfruitfulness associated with external factors. 34. Factors more directly concerned in the development of the fruit. 35. Fruit setting as an orchard problem. Glossary. Index.

From the Preface: "The Fundamentals of Fruit Production attempts to focus attention on the tree's growth and its steadily increasing requirements and on the conditions that make it profitable as a producer of fruit. Practices are considered only as they affect these conditions, not as ends in themselves. This point of view has necessitated a rather wide departure from a conventional arrangement of subject matter. The common orchard practices are not sacred in themselves; indeed, they are important only in so far as they help vegetative growth and especially fruit production. Fundamentally the plant's growth and functioning depend on the nature of the environment and the adjustment thereto and not directly on cultural practices, which only modify the relation of the plant to the environmental complex."