XIV 

 THE FAMILY ORCHARD 



The business of peach growing has been so highly 

 specialized of late years that the production of 

 peaches for home use has been almost forgotten. It 

 has gone so largely into the hands of the big grow- 

 ers — men and companies with hundreds of thou- 

 sands of trees — that the plain farmer who keeps a 

 dozen trees is ashamed to mention the fact. This is 

 a great pity, for the home-grower of peaches is just 

 as good a man as the specialist with a thousand 

 acres, and there are a good many more of him. 



Then, again, the peach is one of the finest fruits 

 for the home garden. It is easily grown. Over a 

 large territory it is a sure and abundant cropper. It 

 comes early into bearing. The best varieties are 

 easily obtainable, and mistakes in variety selection 

 are much harder to make than among apples, plums 

 or pears, where the beginner stands an enormous 

 chance of going wrong. The home-makers, subur- 

 banites and amateur horticulturists everywhere, 

 ought to be encouraged to plant more peaches. 



I do not refer here to the general farmer who 

 grows a few peaches to sell about town off his milk 

 wagon or along with his Plymouth Rock eggs. That 

 man also is to be encouraged. For the present let 

 us consider the needs of the man with the family 

 orchard, who wants peaches for his own home use 

 and who never expects to sell a bushel to anybody. 



Of course, such a man must forego some of the 

 refinements of modern specialized peach growing. 

 He cannot do all the things that the big growers do. 



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