ANNUAL MEETING AT NEVADA. ^17 



shape than now. If the winter is favorable we hope to have a half crop 

 to report next year. There are more demands for peach trees in that 

 region than can be supplied. 



PEACH CULTURE 



DR. E. R. MOREROD, SCHELL CITY 



Peach culture for the last six years has been a failure in Vernon 

 County from the severity of our winters, and everybody seems impressed 

 with the idea that it will remain so for all future time. The writer would 

 state that he has been a resident of Vernon County for twenty-one 

 years; that from his first residence in the county previous to sfx years 

 ago, there never was an entire failure of that delicious fruit, and has been 

 informed by old residents, that for many years, previous to his advent to 

 the county, there seldom was a failure of the peach crop; and would fur- 

 ther add that one season the thermometer fell to twenty-three degrees 

 below zero to his own knowledge, and it was reported at twenty-seven 

 degrees below in the neighborhood of Moundville, in this county, on the 

 same occasion, yet we had fine peaches that season. Now, the writer 

 does not wish to convey the idea that«this is always the case, but ad- 

 mits, that when the thermometer falls to sixteen degrees below zero, 

 one may reasonably anticipate a failure or great injury to the crop. But 

 the writer protests against the idea that peach culture must remain for- 

 ever a failure in this section, for experience in the past demonstrates that 

 seasons, like history repeat themselves. It is a well-known fact that 

 certain classes of epidemics repeat themselves at very regular cycles or 

 periods of time. The writer feels confident, that indulgent nature will 

 turn the card board of the weather round .sooner or later, that we may 

 indulge in ripe, juicy peaches, as of yore. The object of this communi- 

 cation, however, is to bring to the notice of this society the writer's ex- 

 perience that may not be new to old veterans of horticulture, but may 

 be of great benefit to those who are novices in that line, and who desire 



