210 THE CHIEF SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL CROPS 



mature ; nothing is harder on a young orchard than 

 the making of a crop of small grain, since it prevents 

 the stirring of the ground in the spring at the time 

 when such cultivation is most needed. When lands 

 are not too rich, crimson clover or vetch may be 

 wisely substituted for rye as a winter cover crop ; 

 but these legumes add so much nitrogen to the soil 

 that their continued use is not always advisable in a 

 peach orchard. 



Peaches require more pruning than most other 

 fruit trees. The orchard should be gone over system- 

 atically every winter, shortening in and thinning out 

 the limbs. During the long growing season at the 

 South peaches grow so rapidly that it is best to go 

 over the orchard two or three times in the summer 

 to pinch back the ends of the rapidly growing shoots; 

 this will promote branching and by a little care a 

 symmetrical top can be formed. If no summer pinch- 

 ing is done, the main limbs will grow to an inordi- 

 nate length that will necessitate extra heavy winter 

 pruning. 



At the South well-grown peach trees will begin to 

 bear at about three years from time of planting. 



For distant shipment fruit cannot be allowed to 

 fully ripen on the trees. The best stage for picking 

 is after it has obtained full size and color, but two or 

 three days before it begins to soften. The fruit on 

 a tree cannot all be picked at once, but should be 

 gone over as often as every second day in order to 

 secure it all in the best condition. It should be han- 

 dled very carefully to avoid all bruising. Picking 

 baskets should be lined with cloth or still better fruit 



