20 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



NEW POINTS IN PEACH GROWING AND MARKETING. 



GEORGE FRIDAY^ COLOMA. 



Tlie subject that I have for discussion is new points in peach grow- 

 ing and marketing. But what some of the growers would call new points 

 other growers would no doubt say they are not new at all, but had been 

 known and |)racticed for twenty or thirty years. 



I have taken a few of the points that I think are usually omitted, at 

 least bv many growers, and which they do not follow, whether new or 

 old. 



First, I want to speak in reference to nurseiy stock. We have heard 

 considerable talk about nursery men and nursei'y stock, and it is un- 

 doubtedly a fact that there is some tnith in the different things that 

 are mentioned, of stock lying around in the sun so that the roots become 

 dry, of trees being sent out not true to name, and all that, but this can 

 be remedied, and should be, and I believe that it can all be changed 

 when we adopt another plan. 



We go to the different classes of farmers. Here is a stock man that 

 has a cow with a history back of her, and for a good many years, as a 

 producer of butter fat or milk. Now, this is the animal from which he 

 raises his best stock and with the right kind of a sire, results can be 

 had that are remarkable. 



Then we come to the corn man, and you hear him talk about one hun- 

 dred bushels of corn to the acre. Do you think there is any haphazzard 

 work about this? Does he use any old seed? No sir. There is a careful 

 selection of seed and then there is a thorough })reparation of the soil. 



Now what are we doing? The nursery man is cross-budding from the 

 nursery rows as a rule — it is the most convenient place he has to get 

 it. He is trying to furuish us a good grower, just the kind that we 

 wanted to grow seedlings. He is furnishing just what we are demand- 

 ing. We must raise our own nursery stock. The buds that we use must 

 come from our best trees, and I believe that if we could follow this 

 system in twenty years we could double our crop of peaches. I think 

 peaches are a little more important than any other fruits, but it would 

 be just the same with all tree fruits — this question of selection. We 

 must select our buds. We have talked this in our society but there are 

 but a few people who have done it. 



After we have the nursery stock we are too much in a hurry. This is 

 one of the reasons why we do not succeed better. We do not make up 

 our mind three or four years ahead Avhere we are going to set out our 

 peach orchard. We get the orchard fever and we immediately plant, 

 no matter what condition the ground is in, and many times regardless 

 of the location. If our soil is not in good condition we should not set 

 out our peach trees until it is in good condition. We will have peaches 

 to sell quicker by doing this way than the other. 



Another thing that is neglected throughout the entire Michigan peach 

 belt is the cover crop. There are a few men who do this, but a large 

 majority neglect it, and as a result all the humus is worked out. You 



