PEACHES FOR PROFIT. 131 



A careful examination must be made also in regard to the hardiness of 

 different kinds, and many "vvill have to be condemned for our use, because their 

 tenderness renders them unprofitable in comparison with some variety less 

 excellent in quality but superior in fruitfulness. 



This is notably true in the case of the Early Crawford, an old, and if only 

 reliable, a most vakiable variety. But as it can be depended upon for a good 

 crop only once in four years or more, it yields the palm of profit to the Hale's 

 Early, of much inferior quality, to the Barnard and Snow's Orange, and to 

 many others which are hardier, and therefore more profitaI)le. 



The fiery, or rather /Vo.sY// trial of the winter of 1884-85, clearly demonstrated 

 that a few varieties only will survive such extremes, and that in them conse- 

 quently lies the greatest profit. A strictly market orchard, j^lanted with but 

 one purpose, the greatest gain in tJte shortest time, would probably best contain 

 not more than six varieties. All things considered from the experience of the 

 last winter, and several years' study of the markets, I will name, as best suited 

 to the purpose of profit, the following six, in order of time of ripening, viz., 

 Hale's Early, Yellow Alberg, Jacrjues Eareripe, Hill's Chili, Golden Drop and 

 Smock. If planting an orchard of one thousand ( 1 ,000) trees I should cut the 

 number to four varieties, and set two hundred Hales, two hundred Jacques, 

 three hundred Hill's Chili, and three hundred Golden Drop. 



It is noteworthy also that Hale's and most of the early varieties prefer a 

 sandy soil, and that Hill's Chili, Golden Drop, and some others do as well or 

 better on clay. 



The question of how many trees to plant, and what distance apart, also 

 demands our attention. One's ability and plans must govern entirely in decid- 

 ing the first. A small orchard well cared for is a better investment than a 

 large but neglected one. One thousand (1,000) trees is all one man and team 

 could do justice to, and even then he would need extra help during much of 

 the summer season. As to space in planting — nothing is gained by trying to 

 get a few more trees to the- acre. 



They need plenty of room, and if set nearer than eighteen to twenty feet they 

 will crowd each other by the time they are six years old, and so shade the 

 ground as to make it dark, cold, and damp, all of which is fatal to the best 

 results. Twenty by twenty fe6t will set about 125 trees to the acre, and is 

 better than any less distance. 



As the first two years of a child's life are of the greatest importance in its 

 welfare, so the early growth of a peach tree will be quite a correct index to its 

 whole career. It needs all the benefit of frequent cultivation, and for two years 

 this can be best done by planting the orchard to corn between rows and giving 

 it iisual tillage. It is a good plan to plant the four hills nearest the tree the 

 second year to potatoes instead of corn, so as to give the growing tree all that it 

 needs of space and light. The third year the tree ought to have the whole 

 ground, and Just as frequent and careful cultivation as before. The trimming 

 should be particularly and timely done, so as to give proper form to the top 

 Avithout wasting a year or two in growing a great mass which miTst be eventu- 

 ally cut out. Such treatment faithfully practiced will be appreciated and by 

 the fourth season will begin to repay one for his time and labor. 



I know one orchard of three hundred trees which, when three years old, 

 marketed twelve hundred baskets of peaches, an average of four baskets or 

 one bushel per tree, and that fall peaches netted to per bushel. This gave a 

 net cash income of $36(J per acre from three-year-old trees, a record rarely 

 equalled at that age, though often surpassed by older orchards. Indeed, halt 



