PEACH GROWING IN MINNESOTA. 223 



PEACH GROWING IN MINNESOTA. 



M. ri'AK-ci:, ciii >\vi;x. 



From our own experience and that of others, we know that excel- 

 lent peaches can be g'rown in Minnesota — we have done it with little 

 labor. It is the general opinion that peach trees are tender and will 

 not stand much cold. Such is not the case, at least in Minnesota 

 with our dry atmosphere. Peter M. Gideon, of Kxcelsior, the veteran 

 peach grower, informs me that there was scarsely a winter with the 

 light covering- he gave his peach trees but the}' were exposed to 35 

 or 40 degrees of cold below zero. 



Mr. Modlin, a ver}' successful grower of peaches, said there was 

 not a daj' in winter that the cats did not go under his peach trees. 



A sandy loam sloping to the south is the best for peach trees. 



Covering too earl}' and too deep are two of the principal causes of 

 failures. Remember this, make a note of it. Plant June budded 

 trees. 



Our mode of handling peach trees is as follows: In planting them 

 out, place a board ten inches wide and a foot long on each side of 

 the roots and make them grow two ways. Aside, from the top or 

 feeding roots they send down two or three tap roots. 



The last of October lay them down. Remove one board and dig 

 down till you come to the tap roots; then press the tree down care- 

 fully tlatonto the ground. Fill the hole with moist and fine soil and 

 press it down, making a mound a few inches high; also cover the 

 body of the trees with earth. Place a weight on each tree to keep it 

 down. Let them remain in this condition till the ground is frozen, 

 and the weight can then be removed. 



Just before real winter sets in, along towards Christmas, cover 

 eight or ten inches deep with long marsh hay. 



Uncover the trees the last of March or the first of April, and let 

 the trees remain two or three weeks before thej-are straightened up. 



We are growing earlj', medium and late kinds; the}' all ripened 

 and were good. One variety which ripened the ninth of August was 

 large and extra good; of this varietj' we intend, if life and health 

 permit, to propagate extensively. 



By using careful thought on proper soil, peaches can be had from 

 the ninth of August till the lirst of October fresh from the trees. 



The Michigan agricultural college will send a collection of flower 

 seeds to the first ten school districts in each county that shall make 

 application for them. This effort to create a love for flowers and a 

 regard for the appearance of the school yard is commendable and 

 will l>e an important factor in a child's education. 



My favorite plan for planting an orchard is to plant trees close in 

 the row, with rows five to ten rods apart, intending thus to cover 

 every field in the farm. This gives ample feeding space for the 

 roots and ample access for air and sunshine. Bj- this method each 

 field can be planted to small fruits or farm crops without difficulty 

 of getting about the trees with plow and cultivator.— C. A. Green. 



