FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT. 83 



it was discovered as early as the beginning of the nineteenth century, 

 that peaches could be successfully grown in this region. But there 

 are some regions in the interior of the state where this fruit has been 

 grown successfully for many years in succession. Many orchards have 

 been planted in regions where the trees would grow well for several 

 years; then an unusually severe winter has wiped out the work of the 

 preceding years before there has been suflRcient remuneration to repay 

 expense. Again, a success may be made of keeping the trees, but frosts 

 at blossoming time cut off so many crops, that a profit is not realized. 

 These occurrences cause so great a hazard, that one would be wise to 

 go slowly in a new and untried region. 



The prospective peach grower had better be sure of starting in a 

 region favorable from the weather standpoint, unless a special market, 

 location, or something of that kind counterbalances all extra risk. Other 

 things that seem to differ with various regions are; susceptibility to 

 disease and insects, variation of varieties, opportunity to obtain suflB 

 cient labor, and the marketing conditions. These fundamental matters 

 should be inquired into before selecting a permanent location for peach 

 culture, or before one who is already located upon a farm assumes the 

 risk attending the planting of a large peach orchard. 



Sites and Soils. — The region or section having been decided upon, 

 the next important question is the choice of a site that promises to 

 be especially favorable for a peach orchard. Many mistakes have been 

 made by people who have assumed that because there are several suc- 

 cessful peach growers in a region, that any site in that neighborhood 

 is favorable and when planted with peach trees, will produce large 

 crops of fine fruit. Nothing could be more incorrect or misleading. 

 The most famous peach producing sections have sites that are highly 

 profitable, but in thes^ same, regions, much of the land is no better for 

 peach growing than it would be anywhere else in the state. 



Elevation and slope mean success to a very large extent In the peach 

 business. It is a fact well established in "The Peach Belt" that the 

 direction of slope really counts for little in assuring a crop of fruit 

 nearly every year; but a slope in some direction is quite essential, as 

 air drainage must be secured. Often a difference of several days in 

 the blossoming time is seen in orchards on adjoining farms, due, al- 

 most entirely, to the direction in slope. That this would mean much 

 in many parts of the state is very evident, but under the influence of 

 Lake Michigan, it seems to count for little. The slope toward the south, 

 of course, is the earliest, while the one toward the north is the latest 

 and this same relation prevails throughout the season. A steep slope 

 is not as desirable as one more gradual, due to serious soil washing, 

 harder work in spraying, cultivation, and other orchard operations. 



Successful peach orchards are to be found upon nearly all types of 

 Michigan soils. Profitable crops may be grown upon the lightest sand 

 and the heaviest clay, each soil producing a characteristic type and 

 quality of fruit. To say that any particular type of soil would be the 

 most profitable for a peach orchard, is impossible. Some growers have 

 success upon many types of soil by handling them skillfully. Personal 

 preference must be a deciding factor, but most growers desire a soil of 

 a sandy nature and it is a fact that the majority of favorable sites 

 have this type of soil. There are many cases where the light sand soils, 



