246 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



done on the part of the nurserymany, but when these errors are constantly cotning- 

 to light, it is well to be on our guard, and, if possible, know beyond a question or 

 doubt that we get varieties we order. I have been making my own trees since my 

 first planting in 1889, and even now I find, occasionally, a seedling will slip in, and 

 also a few other varieties in a block that I thought were all one kind. If it is so 

 hard for the small grower to keep varieties straight, how very particular the nur- 

 serymen should be. 



The fo.lowing varieties were fruited on the "Flint Hill" this season, and 

 have proved themselves all that can be asked of a peach : Gilmore, Linzey's White, 

 Crawford's Late, Bequette, Crothers, Foster, Elberta, Gold Dust, Crimson Beauty, 

 White Heath, Salway, Bonanza, Zella, and two or three seedlings. 



The aboye list is as the trees were labeled when received. I find that the Lin- 

 zey's White is a large free-stone, and some of my neighbors say that Linzey 's White 

 is a cliag. If this is true, then I don't know what [ have ia this variety. The 

 entire list is nice, large fruit with the exception of Gold Dust. This is a medium 

 sized cling, but the finest canning peach I ever saw. When I wanted a delicious 

 dish of peaches and cream, or a fine one to eat out of hand, I invariably took a. 

 Bequette. They are the juiciest freestone I ever saw, and of my very best shippers. 



There are other valuable varieties that have been fruited in South Missouri 

 that are very fiae, and can bs planted with profit. I caanot leave varieties with- 

 out making special mention of a very large free-stone, name unknown, that is^ 

 about as near perfection as you cm get a peach. There were specimens that 

 measured 12 inches. Flesh white, with a bright red blu3h over one-half of it, and 

 a very fine flavor. 1 have called it Zella. I also had a very tine seedling, measuring^ 

 11 inches, yellow, free-stone, and a good peach in every way. 



The Gilmore is a peach that I produced from bud^ taken from an unknown 

 variety at Gilmore, A.rk., a few years ago. It is the first of all to ripen, and its^ 

 special merits are that it is a good shipper, I sent spgcimens to Chicago this season 

 that held up for exhibition for two weeks after receipt there. This is something 

 remarkable for an early peach. It is not fit to eat, but looks pretty and sells well 

 in the markets. 



CULTIVATING THE ORCHARD. 



As a rule, we cultivate corn or potatoes in our peaoh orchards for the first 

 three years, but if I had plenty of money to run the place, I should not grow any- 

 thing but trees. The cultivation can be made more thorough when nothing is 

 planted with your trees, and they will make much better growth. If corn or other 

 crops are raised, they should by all means be discontinued after the third year» 

 After the third year, either give constant and thorough cultivation from the time 

 the trees are in bloom until no weeds will appear in the fall, or cultivate through 

 the growing season up to about June 1st, or till very warm weather comes, then 

 drill in stock peas, whip-poor-wills, and cultivate the peas until they cover the 

 ground well, and then plow them under about the middle of September, and sow 

 crimson clover to be plowed under the following spring. I am pursuing this course 

 on a part of my orchard, and if the clover does as well here as farther south, I be- 

 lieve that the question of fertilizers is practically solved. I know that the peas 

 are a splendid thing alone, and when taken with the crimson clover it is sure to 

 make the ground very rich, and we cannot help but grow fine fruit. 1 have used 

 some barn-yard manure, but believe that the peas are the best and cheapest. 



