36 Peach-Growing 



many sections earlier varieties are grown to a limited extent 

 and in others both earlier and later sorts are grown. How- 

 ever, with but comparatively few exceptions other than 

 those noted, the main crop consists of the Elberta and as 

 this variety comes "in season" in its progressive sequence 

 northward, it virtually marks the end of the "peach season" 

 for the year in the more southern districts. In the practical 

 working out of the matter, the profitableness of peach- 

 growing in any location depends in no small measure on the 

 sequence in which the Elberta peach ripens there in compari- 

 son with its ripening period in other localities with which it 

 comes in competition in the markets. Thus, a location in 

 which the variety or varieties planted ripen during a period 

 when the markets are already fully supplied with fruit is 

 not likely to prove as satisfactory from a financial stand- 

 point as one in which the fruit ripens at a time when the 

 markets are not overstocked with fruit from other districts. 

 This factor is of much greater importance than is sometimes 

 supposed. Of course, something depends in this connection 

 on the selection of varieties. A grower is not restricted to 

 the Elberta, but its wide range of adaptability and its ex- 

 cellent shipping qualities are apt to give it first choice in the 

 average commercial orchard. 



The accompanying illustrations, which show typical peach 

 orchard locations in different parts of the country, serve 

 to emphasize some of the important factors that have been 

 presented under this topic. 



Plate I (Frontispiece) shows an orchard located in the Alle- 

 ghany Mountains. The location is representative of a large 

 region in which extensive peach interests have been developed 

 within the past twenty years. The elevation of the mountain 

 ridges insures good atmospheric drainage, and the rolling, 



