96 



TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[March, 



troubles, all got rid of by having young peach 

 orchards a little nearer to the large city. 



The only disease or trouble of any sort that 

 was of any consequence to the peach was the 

 yellows, but this was really a very small trouble 

 in the districts about Philadelphia. 



In regard to the profit of orcharding, the dis- 

 cussions were very earnest, and in most cases 

 the members took what might be regarded as 

 the conservative view. The real difficulties, the 

 dark side, as well as the bright side of the sub- 

 ject, was shown, and that only those who made 

 it a good business study could succeed. One es- 

 say showing that fruit growing could never be 

 overdone, had to run the gauntlet of this conser- 

 vative discussion, to the great profit of those 

 who were anxious to get rich in the fruit grow- 

 ing field. 



The other matters were more of a local than 

 general interest, referring chiefly to varieties for 

 local culture, buds, tree peddlers, flower garden- 

 ing, and adornments of grounds. Judge Stitzel, 

 of Reading, was elected President for the next 

 year and Gettysburg as the place of meeting. 



Kentucky Horticultural Society.— The 

 peach seems to have been unusually compli- 

 mented by the Horticultural societies this sea- 

 son, the Kentucky society, as well as some 

 others, having given it the post of honor in their 

 proceedings. Hon. W. J. Lee read a paper on 

 the subject. In regard to varieties, he said : 



" The selection should depend upon the situa- 

 tion of the grower. Select sorts to make a com- 

 plete succession through the whole season. 

 Plant lightly of Amsden June, Early Beatrice, 

 Early Louise, Early Rivers, Early Baltimore, 

 etc. Plant a few Hale and Tillotson, but plant 

 largely of Troth's Early, Large Early, York, 

 George lY., Oldraixon Free, Rodman's Red 

 Cling, Oldmixon Cling, Ward's Late Free, 

 Grand Admirable, Smock's Late Free, and 

 Heath." 



In regard to picking and packing, he said : 

 " One may have followed all the directions pre- 

 viously given, and may have grown very fine 

 peaches, and yet lose money by picking at an 

 improper stage of ripeness and bad packing. If 

 a man has any taste about him, he has a good 

 chance to show it in picking and packing peaches. 

 Picking and packing peaches is a business to be 

 learned, and a man has to serve a trade at it be- 

 fore he can be an expert in it. All the specimens 

 on a tree do not ripen at the same time, and it 

 frequently happens that you have to make as 



many as ten pickings from the same tree, but 

 usually five or six will answer. In handling a 

 crop of 5,000 boxes of peaches, every peach 

 should be picked as near the same stage of ripe- 

 ness as possible ; this stage may be known by the 

 green side changing to white in white peaches 

 and to pale red in red peaches. A peach re- 

 ceives its color and flavor about forty-eight hours 

 before it softens, and should be picked as soon 

 as it has reached this stage. Peaches should be 

 handled very carefully in picking. 



" The directions I shall here give are for pack- 

 ing in boxes. Peaches should be packed in new 

 boxes, made neat and strong. Each shipper 

 should have a numbered stencil, by which his 

 fruit may be known in the market, and for con- 

 venience of separating lots in the commission 

 house. Every box should be stenciled before it 

 is filled, as you are less liable to overlook one. 

 Should you fail to stencil a box it would be apt 

 to be lost in shipping, or should it get through, 

 the commission merchant would not know to 

 whom it belonged. I consider packing the most 

 particular thing in peach culture. To do good 

 packing it is necessary to have proper fixtures." 



Nurserymen's Association. — This body 

 will hold its next meeting in the Grand Pacific 

 Hotel, Chicago, on the 16th of June, 1880. We 

 believe it will be profitable for all having the 

 best interests of the trade at heart to attend. A 

 correspondent suggests that as a great national 

 political meeting is to be held there a little be- 

 fore that time, and some might like to attend 

 both, would it not be well to have the meeting 

 of nurserymen earlier ? We have promised to 

 give his idea notice, but do not advocate it. The 

 writer had good experience in this " killing two 

 birds with one stone" idea at the Centennial. 

 They all turned out, as did his boyish effort with 

 the birds illustrated. He never did kill two 

 birds with one stone, nor did he ever meet the 

 boy who did. The attempts always failed. One 

 thing at a time seems to be the best for all 

 things. 



The Horticultural Hall, Philadel- 

 phia. — This fine building, in which the Penn- 

 sylvania Horticultural Society had but a very 

 small pecuniary interest, in comparison with the 

 whole cost, has changed hands. It brought 

 $75,300. It will make no difference, we pre- 

 sume, to the Horticultural Society in the way of 

 its exhibitions, library, etc., which will probably 

 all go on as formerly there. 



