WINTER MEETING. 175 



€xpand fast enough. Near the ground it is all right, and the blighting 

 goes clear up to the top. 



Mr. Evans — On the subject of pear blight, it is only our new mem- 

 bers who dare to talk about it, and they do it because they do not 

 know any better. There are three things which are not to be discussed 

 here. They are religion, politics and pear blight. 



Growing Peaches— Our Best Hardy Ones. 



This is a business I am interested in and have been experimenting 

 in at Wymore, Neb., for the last 16 years. To be successful in growing 

 peaches with us we must acquaint ourselves with the different varieties, 

 and plant only of sorts that have been tested and proved to be hardy 

 in bud as well as in w^ood. Many seem to think that a peach that is hardy 

 in wood and will stand our severest winters without being killed to the 

 ground would naturally be a good bearer, but we find that many of our 

 poorest bearers (which are tender in bud) are hardy in wood, such as 

 Stump the World, Mixon's Cling and Free, Crawford's Early and Late, 

 Foster, Mary's Choice, Mt. Rose, Steadly, Lemon Cling, George the 4th, 

 and others. When peaches are killed with us, it is generally by extreme 

 cold, while buds are dormant, or nearly so. Of course, the degree of 

 cold they will stand depends, to a great extent, on the maturity of the 

 previous year's growth. The peach, while more tender in bud than the 

 plum or cherry, will stand more frost while in blossom. 



After testing many varieties, we find the following sorts to be pro- 

 fitable for a commercial orchard: Beginning with the early sorts, we 

 plant Alexander, Amsden, Waterloo and Wilder, but these are so near 

 the same peach in quality, time of ripening, etc., we plant mostly of 

 Alexander and Waterloo, which never rot on the tree as they do in 

 some localities farther south. The Early Rivers ripens next, is a large 

 white peach, with red cheek, of fair quality, a poor shipper, and even 

 more tender to handle than Alexander, yet it is very profitable, as we 

 are so near the market. Hale's Early is profitable, and also free from 

 rot. Cooledge's Favorite, Wager, Hill's Chili, Wright and Heath Cling 

 are good varieties. The Wager is not quite as good a bearer as the 

 others, but is a fine peach. For late sorts we still plant a few of Smock 

 and Salway, but they are not very profitable. Have Elberta planted 

 three years last spring ; so far they are unpromising. Planted 400 

 Champion two years last spring, which bore a few fine peaches this 

 season. Crosby not fully tested yet. In addition to these we have an 



