3Ianagement of Peach Orchards. 227 



they are budded they should not be cultivated deeply, as the overgrowth 

 would tend to drown the buds 



But, as most orchardists claim that the above method scatters the work 

 over so much ground, they prefer to plant trees one year from the bud, and, 

 if the trees are well grown, and well dv;g, and well planted, success will be 

 reasonably sure, provided the trees are mulched if a drought sets in imme- 

 diately after they are planted. 



DISTANCE TO PLANT, 



In planting peach trees the distance apart to plant has been a stumbling 

 block to many, and the theories set forth by some writers are so con- 

 tradictory and unreasonable that experience alone can determine what is 

 best. A little thought will convince any planter that different varieties will 

 do better at different distances. For instance, the Amsden and Alexander 

 are enormous fruiters when young, and are short lived, and should therefore 

 be set closer than Mountain Rose or May Beauty, which are a little tardy when 

 young and are long lived, strong growers, and good bearers'for many years 

 when they do begin to fruit. 



A good rule would be to plant the early bearing sorts sixteen by twenty 

 feet, and the large growing, long-lived varieties twenty by twenty-four feet. 

 This distance lets the sun in on the ground to dry it out during the rainy 

 spells we have during the summer, and prevents rot to a great extent. In 

 fact, an orchard of peaches planted twelve by twelve feet on our strong soil 

 here would be nothing but a hot-bed for rot and curculios. I have an exam- 

 ple of that near me. Not one basket of good, sound peaches has been gath- 

 ered from it in five years. 



WHAT VARIETIES TO PLANT. 



What varieties to plant is a question for each orchardist to decide for his own 

 locality, and a list that would be satisfactory at this point would not serve at 

 some other place. But with our railroad transportation the safest list would 

 reach through the season from June to October. 



The following list of well tried varieties will give a succession, and, by ad- 

 ding local varieties of known excellence, will be good through the whole 

 valley: Alexander or Amsden. Early Rivers, Hoynes' Surprise, Yellow St. 

 John, Mountain Rose, Large Early York, Old Mix<tn, New Thurber, Reeve's 

 Favorite, Christiana, Steadley, Picquet's Late, Salway and Henrietta for a 

 cling. This list would have to be curtailed at the North and some of the fine 

 Southern varieties added at the South. 



There are many other good peaches, but the list nsimed covers the season 

 with^ruit and combines as many good points as any I could name to plant 

 for proiit. 



After the varieties are settled on and the trees planted, the cultivation of a 

 young orchard is an item to be well considered by the planter. Almost every 



