NEW YCM^tC 



PREFACE 



Although the development of peach-growing in the 

 United States has been coincident with the development of 

 the country, peach literature is notably limited except as it 

 appears in experiment station bulletins and reports. Of 

 these there are many. 



The motive of this book is to present in a fairly compre- 

 hensive way the principles and practice of successful peach 

 production. The amount of detail that enters into some 

 parts of the discussion may seem unnecessary and prove 

 wearisome to the experienced grower, but the author's con- 

 ception of the book is based largely on a rather extensive 

 observation of fruit-growing problems and the impressions 

 that have come from the handling of a w^ide range of corre- 

 spondence. So far as this effort proves of service to the 

 reader who is seeking help in the growing of peaches, the 

 book will accomplish its intended mission. 



It is difficult to make full acknowledgment of all credit 

 that should be given. Experiment station literature has 

 been drawn upon very freely. ]\Iost of the ripening dates 

 in the chapter on varieties were supplied by peach-growers. 

 The chapter on pruning was reviewed by S. H. Fulton, of 

 West Virginia, a peach-grower of large experience ; and the 

 one on insects and diseases, by W. M. Scott, formerly con- 

 nected with the fruit disease investigations of the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture, and himself a peach-grower of 

 large interests. 



vii 



