172 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



soils need to be treated differently, but 1 believe that m:)8t pomologista agree 

 that peach trees should be worked in the spring, as soon as the ground settles 

 and is fit for work, and continue at intervals till the last of July. If worked 

 later, it has a tendency to keep the tree growing, and it does not mature the 

 wood, so that severe cold weather is likely to kill the tree. 



I have but very slightly alluded to some of the main points of successful 

 peach growing, and yet 1 think if the few hints that are given are acted upon, 

 good orchards and good peaches may be raised. 



ILLINOIS METHODS WITH PEACHES. 



T. E. Goodrich of Cobden, Ills., was called for, and responded, saying he 

 understood there had been in western Michigan fourteen consecutive crops of 

 peaches, a thing never heard of in "Egypt," where we only get one crop in 

 three or four years. "We are too far south and have too cold weather. Were 

 we farther north, where it is wa-nier, we could do better," said Mr. Goodrich, 

 in a tone that was appreciated. "When we do get a crop we receive no price 

 for it, but think all the money comes here. We have all the difficulties you 

 experience in growing peaches, and one other — every morning we have to 

 'bug' all of our peach trees for curculio ; yet we can raise as fine peaches as 

 grow anywliere in the universe. California peaches are not at all equal to 

 ours in juiciness and flavor, yet the peach is the best of their fruits except the 

 grape. We do not have yellows — never have had it. We plant twenty feet 

 apart, cultivate in spring with plow and follow that with hairows and culti- 

 vators to keep the ground clean; we sow rye and turn under, and each alter- 

 nate season turn under two crops of cow-peas. Oar trees or buds are killed 

 by cold in both winter and spring; the bads will not survive eighty degrees 

 below zero, and seldom eight below. In 'bugging' we use shoets in inverted 

 umbrella shape, on frames, and use also the trap system. We have but one 

 kind of soil, and that is poor soil. Originally i"; wag leaf mold but would 

 now be called a light loam." Mr. Goodrich was asked about the Eie peach, 

 and replied: "I did not intend to say anything about that. We like it and 

 would prefer to keep it at home. It is of very fine quality, a heavy bearer, 

 hardy so far, but we have only grown it four years. It is yellow, ripening at 

 the time of Crawford's Early. We have the disease known as curl-leaf. 

 Cultivation of the peach declined for .eight or nine years, then revived and is 

 now increasing. We had an Alden fruit drying establishment which ran 

 awhile and failed; a cannery shared the same fate, and now the surplus is 

 only dried by families. We have no fruit exchange nor anything of the kind 

 except the granger system of shipment. What do we consider fair prices? 

 Well, we used to think $12 per bushel pretty good! One dollar per third 

 bushel box is a good rate, and that is about what we average for good fruit." 



HANDLING AND PACKING PEACHES. 



Eollowing this, Mr. Alexander Ilamilton, of Ganges, read a paper on 

 "Hanlliug and packing peaches for market, to sejure the largest profit." He 

 said: 



In order to obtain better profits from large crops, such as we have had 

 the present season, the poach growers of western Allegan county will, I think, 

 have to use at home, by drying or otherwise, their windfalls and all such 



