THE KANSAS PEACH. 31 



WILL IT PAY TO PLANT PEACHES, AND WHAT 

 VARIETIES ? 



Read by A. Chandler, of Argentine, Kan., before the Missouri Valley Horticultural Society, 

 at Edwardsville, on October 21, 1899. 



To a superficial observer this question might seem easily answered. 

 Many questions present themselves that are not readily disposed of, 

 especially from a commercial standpoint. 



The consideration of the main questions will embrace: (1) Cli- 

 mate; (2) soil and location ; (3) varieties; (4) market and its ca- 

 pacity to consume. Now, as to climate, certain types of the peach 

 succeed in the far South, namely, the peento and its seedling. Such 

 type belongs only to the orange belt. The Spanish race of the peach 

 is found in the sandy soil of the Gulf region. Some attempts have 

 been made to introduce the Persian race far south, but failure was the 

 result. The peach, like people, thrives best in its own climate. 



The North China race has given us some conspicuous object-lessons, 

 the most notable and most worthy of which is the Elberta. The terri- 

 tory of the Persian peach has lieen extended far to the north. Many 

 of our hardiest and most popular varieties have been propagated from 

 this race. Peaches of all these difiPerent tyjDes are grown in their home 

 belts. All are subject to variations, being governed l:)y different soils 

 and other local conditions. These types have in many cases been 

 modified by cross pollination, so that it is not easy to determine to 

 which race they belong. In the United States the successful peach 

 district lies between the thirty-fourth and thirty-ninth jjarallels of 

 north latitude, though the peach industry has been extended far north 

 of this limit, subject to the ever-varying vicissitudes of climate. 



One notable peach district is the Ontario, adjacent to Niagara Falls. 

 Another is the state of Michigan, or rather the western side of it ; 

 nearer to the lake and sandy soil are the leading features of ada^jta- 

 bility. 



Now, as to soil. Locally speaking, our own country possesses 

 many requisites for successful fruit-growing. One thing to avoid on 

 the prairies of Kansas, and even the loess formation of the Missouri 

 river, is too rich a soil, or else no fruit ; a superabundance of fire- wood 

 will be your only recompense. I learn that in some counties of west- 

 ern Kansas the peach is successfully competing with the forest-tree 

 as a windbreak, so rapidly does it grow ; a growth of eleven feet in 

 one year has come under my observation. Let us be particular about 

 soil and location. Take the highest points possible, upland clay or 

 sandy loam ; no bottom land or wet land is desirable. It is especially 



