352 Peach-Growing 



different uses are fairly well differentiated. Those largely 

 planted in California for canning are yellow clingstone 

 sorts. The firm, meaty, fine grained flesh renders certain 

 sorts of particular value for this purpose. On the other 

 hand, those used for drying are rather dry fleshed freestone 

 sorts. In still other respects, special adaptations are recog- 

 nized. 



New varieties habitually present special problems, and 

 frequently offer peculiar temptations to growers of limited 

 experience. Not infrequently they are introduced to the 

 trade with extravagant claims as to their merits or value. 

 The temptation is to accept such claims as representing the 

 results of mature and widely developed experience when in 

 reality the variety may not have been grown outside the 

 region of its origin. In other words, novelties and new or 

 little known sorts, in general, should be planted cautiously 

 and as a rule only in sufficient quantity to test them until 

 after their merits and adaptability to the conditions have 

 been determined by such tests. 



It may be stated in this connection also that peach varieties 

 are regarded as self-fertile, hence it is safe to plant single 

 varieties in large blocks if desired without the necessity of 

 providing other sorts to insure cross-pollination — a very 

 important provision that needs to be made in case of most 

 apple, pear, and many plum varieties. A few growers have 

 an impression that certain sorts of peaches fruit better 

 when planted with other varieties which furnish means for 

 cross-pollination, but this apparently finds little to support 

 it in the experience of most growers. 



One of the best guides for a prospective peach-grower in 

 choosing varieties is the experience of growers already well 

 established in the locality where the new planting is to be 



