82 THE KANSAS PEACH. 



desirable to take a north slope, even if you must buy your neighbor's 

 farm to get it. Evidences are not wanting of failure where all these 

 conditions have not been complied with. 



The direct cause of failure this jjresent year was the too frigid 

 character of the climate, likely to prevail five years out of ten. Not- 

 withstanding last winter's extreme cold, seventy per cent, of the peach 

 trees are living, many having made a fine growth. A few conspicu- 

 ous varieties may be named ; Early Rivers, Elberta and Old Mixon 

 stood the winter best. Later, Smock, Picquet's Late, Sal way, Heath 

 and Wilken's Cling are desirable varieties. For further information 

 of particular varieties for va-ying latitudes, see Catalogue of Fruits 

 No. 6, Department of Agriculture. This was compiled by the Ameri- 

 can Pomological Society, and is reliable. 



It is generally conceded the market nearest home is best ; this, 

 though, is often limited in demand. As the markets of great cities do 

 not come to us we must go to them, devising means and methods of 

 transportation as the occasion demands. At any rate, it is supposed 

 that the up-to-date fruit-grower will be equal to any emergency. This 

 fact I have noticed, that the Western jDeoi^le have never had an over- 

 supx^ly of first-class peaches, and. with new markets to supply, no one 

 fruit will be in better demand for some years to come. 



GROWING GOOD PEACHES. 



The American Garden leports Mr. Hall's address before the Mas- 

 sachusetts Horticultural Society, as follows : 



"The difference in preparation of lands for peach orchards is the 

 difference in business methods, that being superior which is most 

 thorough, practical, and intelligent. The land cannot be plowed too 

 much, and harrowing and cross-harrowing are less harmful than sen- 

 sible. 



"The trees should be j)lanted early in spiing; fall planting is apt 

 to be disastrous, because the tender roots will not then bear transj)lant- 

 ing from nurseries to open soil. While sixteen feet each way is now 

 accepted as a proper distance, the theory of planting trees thirteen 

 feet apart is justified by the fact that peach trees are mighty uncertain 

 and may not fill out. Medium-sized trees, three or four feet high, are 

 best to plant, and they should be one year old. In fact, no nursery 

 ever delivered a two-year-old tree, though it may claim that it does. 



"It is not essential that a tree have many fibrous roots; most of 

 them are dead anyway at planting, and a modest number will serve, 

 provided they are cut off smoothly. Fine earth should pack the roots. 



