112 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THE INEVITABLE PEACH QUESTION. 



The question of locality for a peacli orchard, with water and air drainage, 

 having been raised, Mr. Taylor said the preference in his vicinity ( Doug- 

 las )was for elevations, as long as there were any, but latterly peach trees 

 have been planted everywhere. Low land and air drainage do not go 

 together in nature. High land, well drained is the best. The next levels 

 are often good if they have proper water drainage, giving the roots dry soil, 

 But there is much about all this to learn by experiment, even 

 after you think you know all aboiit it. This year the lower places 

 and heavy soils were best, though for the first time since 1875. 

 Select first the high lands, next the elevations that are above cold air on 

 frosty mornings. We never suffer when the wind is off the lake and it 

 is then never below zero. Our severe weather comes from the northeast 

 and at such times the mercury goes to sixteen degrees below zero, though 

 only for a short time — an hour or so. If I were planting a hill I would use 

 only the east and west slopes; I would not use the southern slope, while the 

 north and northeast are worst of all. 



A. Hamilton: Yes, you should have yellows commissioners in each town- 

 ship; for, even if no yellows is known, some may exist, and it is safest 

 therefore to have commissioners. I would prefer to get peach trees from 

 districts whei'e no yellows exists, but if I could not do so I would not fear 

 to l)uy of careful nurserymen in districts where the disease does prevail. 

 In western Allegan county we have yellows, but almost every grower buys 

 trees at home, feeling safer to purchase of men they know. Some have 

 bought in New York and Pennsylvania, but yellows has killed all the orch- 

 ards there. In nearly all places where peaches are largely grown, yellows 

 prevails. Nurserymen here at home know the disease and are careful, and 

 that is why, in my county, nearly all growers buy at home. 



To a question as to whether Hill's Chili pits could be relied upon to pro- 

 duce trees of that variety, Mr. Garfield said: There is a providential 

 arrangement by which nurserymen get a living in this world, and this 

 question seems to be aimed at them. I know of one case in which this 

 way of getting Hill's Chili trees was tried, wdierein the general type was 

 preserved and some were superior, but most were below the average Hill's 

 Chili. 



Thos. Wilde : They are often better than the original tree, and so 

 with Hale's. But such a result is not certain, neither is it advisable to 

 get trees this way except as an experiment. 



Mr. Jackson: Once set a lot of Chili seedlings, but my experience was 

 the same as Mr. Garfield cited. 



horticultural LITERATURE. 



Inquiry for horticultural periodicals which can be recommended, 

 brought several replies, Mr. Taylor, to whom the question was referred, 

 saying it was hard for him to answer, not being well enough acquainted to 

 make comparisons. Two things we all wish to know are, what is the 

 experience in our own locality? and next, what is done elsewhere? I 

 know no publication which meets these requirements as well as does the 

 Allegan Gazette. Beyond this I can scarcely say, but there are several, 

 each having some good point. I take, besides the Gazette, Popular Gar- 

 dening and Rural New-Yorker. 



