%} o;4 THE PEACn TREE IN 1852. 



% 





toniporature ; at all events, I am sure it is not a sort fit to be grown in collection, and, 

 imU'iHl, there arc several sorts which, to grow to complete perfection, would recjuire 

 each a house for itself. There are many other sorts of grapes which I liave grown, 

 hut cannot do better than refer the amateur to the various excellent works which have 

 been issued on the fruits of this country, where every necessary detail is given. 



THE PEACH TREE IN 1852. 



BY C. E. GOODEICH, UTIC.V, N. Y. 



The destruction of the peach tree this year was unusual in degree, and occasioned by 

 an unusual cause. The hard frosts of December 27th previously had, ajiparently, 

 destroyed the most of the fruit buds. The winter, though unusually cold, was 

 favorable to the health of fruit by its great uniformity. Apple trees and healthful 

 plums passed through it safely, while plum trees that had been injured during the 

 summers of 1850-51 by the mildew of the leaf, (in consequence, I think, of hot, damp 

 weather,) were killed. 



On the 14th of April I passed through all my peach trees, and removed such trees 

 as I have found uniformly yielded late and poor fruit. On that occasion I was 

 pleasantly surprized at the healthful state of the wood and the proportion of fruit 

 buds vet alive, especially those situated about the base of the limbs. Certainly, there 

 had been no winter of the eight during which I had cultivated the peach, more con- 

 genial to its health. April 26th the temperature rose to 68°, there having been but two 

 or three days as high as 54° previously. At this date I deemed my peach trees in a 

 fairly hopeful condition, with the exception of the large loss of fruit already noticed. 



April 27th to 30th, inclusive, were four bright days, with a brisk wind, which was 

 cool except during the.last of them. These four days were undoubtedly the turning point 

 in the health of the peach. At the conclusion of them, much of the young wood was 

 shrivelled and drying up, even to the eye, and much more to the test of the knife. 

 The change was so sudden and extreme as to leave no room to doubt, even on the 

 most cursory observation. The sun and Avind combined seemed to have annihilated 

 the sap of the young wood — the weather previously having been too cool to excite 

 the roots to action. 



Gooseberries were now slowly coming into leaf; pie-plant was partially expanding; 

 peach, but especially cherry buds, Avere here and there swelling. May 1st there was 

 ram copioiis enough to make the Mohawk overflow its banks. May 3d to 6th were 

 four frosty nights. From the 6th to the 9th, inclusive, were four hot days — the tem- 

 perature on the 7th reaching 82°, and on the 8th it was probably as high, though the 

 indication was not reached. The peach broke into flower slowly and irregularly from 

 the 15th to the 22d, when it was about in full flower. This was just ten days later 

 t\i:in usual, it ordinaiily being in full flower on the 12th. While these were coming 

 into flowoT they encounted three Novembery days from the 18th to the 20th, which 



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