TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



confusion of names, or the errors, or carelessness of nurserymen, and avoid also the dan- 

 ger of importing diseased trees. Another advantage of this method is, that it enables us 

 to secure some valuable varieties of peaches, found in the orchards of the neighborhood, 

 peculiarly adapted to the soil and climate, the names of which are not known with cer- 

 tainty, and which therefore cannot be ordered from the nurseries. 



VARIETIES. 



For obvious reasons the orchard should be so graded as to secure a constant succes- 

 sion of peaches from the earliest to the latest in ripening. The best varieties for plant- 

 ing will depend very much upon the locality where the orchard is to be planted, and 

 the best rule to be given would seem to be, to ascertain what varieties have succeeded 

 best in that locality, and to select accordingly. I will only name such as I can recom- 

 mend from my own experience and observation in my neighborhood : Hale's Early, 

 Troth's Early, Large Early York, Crawford's Early, Honest John (Yellow), Old Mixon 

 Free, Stump the World, Ward's Late Free, Smack Free. Of them I would plant most 

 largely of Troth's Early, and most sparimgly of Crawford's Early. 



PLANTING, ETC. 



It does not 6eem necessary in my locality to incur any extra expense in the prepara- 

 tion of the ground, by way of trenching, subsoiling or manuring. The ground should 

 be well plowed, and the trees set no deeper than they stood in the nursery. Perhaps 

 very deep plowing or subsoiling would do no injury, but I have seen no necessity for it. 

 All that seems necessary to secure as large and healthy a growth as is desirable, is 

 thorough cultivation, or constant stirring of the surface of the ground, during the 

 period of growth. Even old and apparently worn out soil will give a rapid and healthy 

 growth of peach trees without manure, if the surface is kept thoroughly stirred. 



I prefer to plant Peach trees in the Spring as early as possible after the ground is in 

 suitable condition ; I have seen the best results from spring planting. I would recom- 

 mend planting at least twenty feet apart. The surface roots will in a few years occupy 

 all the ground in that space, and it gives nome too much room for convenience in culti- 

 vating and gathering the fruit. 



CULTIVATION. 



If there is one thing more essential than any other to secure good trees as well as 

 good fruit, it is thorough cultivation of the ground. Whatever may be said about the 

 propriety of keeping Apple or Pear orchards in grass, it is certain that the Peach tree 

 requires the thorough stirring of the soil during the early part of the season in every 

 year. It will not bear neglect in this particular and remain healthy a long time ; 

 though it may do so in some good soil for one or two years,' and unless the tree is kept 

 in a healthy vigorous condition it cannot produce its best fruit. I have seen crops of 

 peaches upon the same trees in different seasons, that seemed to bear no resemblance 

 to each other in quality, and if I had not known the trees to be the same it would have 

 been difficult to convince me that they belonged to the same variety. The difference I 

 could assign to no other cause that the difference in the condition of the trees. Doubt- 

 less judicious pruning will help to keep peach trees vigorous, but thorough cultivation 

 of the soil is essential. This cultivation should be early and not continued late in the 



