352 



STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



peaches could scarcely be given away in New Yorli and Philadelphia. This sug- 

 gests that much loss could be avoided by a well-organized system of distribution. 

 •Tu.^i: how this shall finally be brought about is a difficult problem to solve, but it is 

 certainly one of the things which peach-growers must study to accomplish. It is 

 worth the earnest consideration of pomological associations, boards of agriculture, 

 and all who are interested in growing peaches. 



Fig. 21.— Peach crates. 1, California; 2, Florida; 2, single basket from same; 3, Michigan; 4, Dela- 

 ware; 5, North Carolina. 



It would seem that there might be some arrangement with the local dealers in 

 many of the smaller towns in the eastern United States, and with large dealers in 

 the cities, whereby telegraphic advice could be sent every day during the season, 

 to some centrally located place in each peach region, and thence communicated to 

 all the growers. In this way it would be known where the marliet was full and 

 where empty, and shipment could be arranged accordingly. Co-operation is the 

 keynote of success. Indeed, without hearty co-operation and compact organization 

 little or nothing can be accomplished, and yet to secure and maintain such organiza- 

 tion presents the chief difficulty. Home consumption is another way to avoid 

 gluts in the market; also, the judicious use of canning and drying houses. 



One of the chief difficulties in the way of successful peach-growing is undoubt- 

 edly the ignorance of the grower. The man who will not grow choice varieties, 

 prefers seedlings, will not properly thin his fruit, will not properly grade it, will 

 not keep the culls at home, will send to the market when he pleases and where he 

 pleases, and who will not combat insect and fungous pests, can not make peach 

 culture profitable, and the only thing for him to do is to go out of the business. 



Many of the serious troubles which beset growers can be measurably overcome 

 by intelligent foresight. The thing which is least within the range of control is the 

 weather; yet, while growers can not entirely avoid the mischief of spring frosts or 

 the results of hot and rainy weather, even these may be guarded against. The 

 judicious selection of advantageous orchard sites, and, in special cases, smudges and 

 spraying with water, will tend to avert the former, while prompt removal of rotting 

 fruit, extra prompt marketing, and particular care in packing for shipment will do 

 much to remedy the effects of the latter. 



In conclusion it may be stated that the labor involved in peach-growing is great 

 and the discouragements not a few. The proportion of failures to successes is at 

 least as ten to one, and very few indeed are the men who become "peach kings." 

 The man who is not full of energy and does not enjoy seeing the sun rise every day 

 in the year would better venture his money in some other business. 



