FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 11 



laud, and, as a result, we have many bad washes due to a lack of humus 

 in the soil. 



For several years it has been a common practice for peach growers to 

 spray the trees while dormant for the ''leaf curl" and the San Jose scale, 

 and now summer spraying is becoming quite general. Although we have 

 not received any apparent results from the use of the self-boiled lime and 

 sulphur spray I think that it may become more evident as the trees 

 become older. The use of arsenate of lead has proven to be very beneficial 

 in the control of the curculio upon the jjeach. This was especially evi- 

 dent one season when a portion of the orchard was left unsprayed. 

 There was much damage from this insect in the unsprayed part while the 

 sprayed portion was affected to only a slight extent. From all appear- 

 ances spraying both in the spring and during the summer is very es- 

 sential to produce peaches successfully under present conditions. 



The best preventative of disease and frost injury is to have the trees 

 in a healthy, vigorous condition. This is accomplished in a large 

 measure by supplying them with the elements of plant food that are 

 essential for tree and fruit production. If the land is deficient in any 

 of these to start with, the lacking part should be supplied and certainly 

 the balance should be maintained upon all types of soil. Lack of fertility 

 has been the cause of many failures in the peach business and every 

 grower should make tests with his own soil to find if possible what is 

 the best combination of elements to add in order to secure the most satis- 

 factory results. It is impossible to state just what would be best for 

 any location until a trial is made. If we ^et a response upon the part 

 of the trees we can then proceed understandingly to supply fertility to 

 tlie orchard. 



It is quite possible to heed all of the points that have l>een mentioned 

 and produce the best of fruit then fail to realize a profit from the busi- 

 nes»s. Marketing the crop is often the most difficult proposition before 

 the peach grower. If sales are made from day to day as the crop ripens 

 the price will be subject to all the fluctuations of the market and the 

 resulting average price for the season will thus oftentimes be \'er\' low. 

 Cooperative organizations offer a solution if they reach the point of ef- 

 ficiency that we hope for them but the most of us must handle our 

 peaches upon our own resources at present. We find it most satisfactory 

 to sell the crop to a reliable buyer for a stated price ]>er bushel, allowing 

 him to worry over the market changes, although this method has resulted 

 in a loss for some years, yet by follownig it through a period of years it 

 has proven much more })rofitable than any other ordinary form of 

 marketing. There is much of the game of chance in any fonu of market- 

 ing and it requires good ju<lgment upon the part of the grower to enable 

 him to always market to the best advantage. 



This leads us to consider the final point in successful i>each produc- 

 tion wliich is the man behind the proposition. With a lack of com- 

 petence at this point there is very sure to be a complete failure. It 

 requires vision, determination, grit, good judgment and real hard work 

 in order to accomplish results in the business. To one who has these 

 (jualities and will acquaint himself with a knowledge of the essentials in 

 the work, there are certainly splendid opportunities for realizing good 

 profits in peach production. 



