362 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



possibly daring the "January thaw," which was supposed to be a part 

 of the regular programme for the winter, and thus the danger froaa 

 winter killing was lessened. 



That mysterious disease, known as the "yellows," had not then 

 become prevalent, as it did later on, to the destruction of many fine 

 trees. 



Much has been said about the change in our climate, and it does 

 seem as if we had not as many deep and long-abiding snow drifts as I 

 used to wade through when I attended school in those days, but if 

 there has been a change the peach tree has flourished in some sections 

 despite it all, and I believe it will do so now if it is properly treated.. 

 If the conditions spoken of above can be reproduced, and the care in 

 all other respects which is necessary is given, the farmer can have 

 peaches to eat and to sell, and his wife can have them to can, without 

 being dependent on the Delaware and Michigan peninsulas, or paying 

 tribute to the commission merchants of Xew York and Boston or to 

 the dealers nearer home. 



And more important than the saving of commissions will be the 

 privilege of having fruit thoroughly ripened on the tree, and freshly 

 picked, instead of the partly ripe, partly rotten fruit that is now palmed 

 off upon buyers. 



In a future article I will give a few hints not entirely from my own 

 experience, but from the best authorities upon successful peach grow- 

 ing. — Ames, in Amer. Cultivator. 



AMONG THE PEACHES. 



During the warm weather prevailing in December, I ventured the 

 opinion that, with the manifest swelling of the fruit buds, if the usual 

 cold weather of January prevailed, the injury that would follow would 

 cut short the crop for 1897. 



The low mercury of the early part of last week induced consider- 

 able anxiety upon the part of the peach-growers of this vicinity lead- 

 ing to a careful investigation of the condition of varieties ; and I find 

 my predictions in a measure confirmed, with more or less damage to 

 all orchards upon low grounds, while those well elevated have escaped 

 reasonably well. 



The fact, however, has been demonstrated beyond question that 

 the true policy for the peach-growers of western New York is to plant 

 varieties of known hardiness, as an insurance against climatic conditions 

 that cannot be controlled it this department of fruit-growing be ac- 



