TWENTY FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING. 183 



STARTING A PEACH ORCHARD. 



BY MR. L. J. rOST OF LOWELL. 



Atone of the previous meetings of this society we were kindly informed 

 that fruit men are always ready to tell all they know and sometimes 

 more. Now, while [ claim to know but little of what there is to learn of 

 fruitgrowing, I am always ready to tell what I know, and perhaps more, 

 knowing that among the many successful fruitgrowers present any criti- 

 cisms will be kindly given. My subject, ''Starting a Peach Orchard," 

 is very far from being a new one, and yet no subject seems to be of more 

 general interest to horticultural people, as every one knows that an 

 orchard started wrong is often the cause of long years of regret. 



'Where. — While we would wish to discourage no one from setting a few 

 trees for family use, even where conditions are all against them, any 

 person setting extensively for commercial purposes can not be too careful 

 in every particular. 



While many disagree as to the direction of exposure, all will agree that 

 there must be good air drainage, and jet there seems to be a diversity of 

 opinion in regard to what constitutes good air drainage. Some seem to 

 think that any elevated section, with a valley more or less deep running 

 from it, is all that is required, v>'hile by closely observing the frost line for 

 a term of years we find that these are not the only conditions to be con- 

 sidered. 



We often find an abrupt descent at the edge of a large extent of table- 

 land, with a deep valley running away, and all conditions for successful 

 peach-growing apparently good; but if we observe carefully we find such 

 a place often subject to severe freezing. The theory seems to be that, 

 while the valley is constantly drawing the cold air, the large extent of 

 table-land directly adjoining is constantly supplying a stratum of cold 

 air, and while such a location may be fairly good it is not the best. 

 Again, we find an elevated section entirely surrounded by valleys, and 

 perhaps not more than one fourth to one half mile in extent, and we have 

 such an elevation in mind that is surrounded by springs coming out of the 

 side of the hill ; and while there is no wet land on the top of the elevation, 

 the whole hill is frosty. This we state simply as fact without pretending 

 to know why. 



In locating an orchard, then, we would select an elevated location 

 with valleys on at least two sidet., and as free as possible from surface 

 springs. 



Soil. — Good success may be expected on almost any soil, from quite 

 heavy clay to very light sand, provided the other conditions are right and 

 the treatment adapted to the soil. In preparing the ground I would 

 plow either in the fall or as early in spring as the ground could be worked 

 without packing. If plowed in the spring the ground should be thor- 

 oughly worked down, not only to facilitate planting, but that it may bet- 

 ter retain moisture. 



Distance to plant. — Before deciding what distance to plant, you should 

 determine the method of pruning you wish to follow. If you intend to 



