SAN JOSE SCALE PEACH 319 



is very injurious, and if found in large numbers upon a 

 tree, it should at once be destroyed ; but if only a few 

 are present, they may be killed by thoroughly spraying 

 the trees in winter with a solution of whale-oil soap made 

 at the rate of one and one -half pounds to a gallon of 

 water. Even in summer, thorough spraying with kerosene 

 and water will destroy the pest. 



THE PEACH 



Although peach trees are hardy, except in the more 

 northern states, there are only comparatively a few sec- 

 tions in which they can be grown successfully, as the 

 flower buds are destroyed if the mercury reaches twenty 

 degrees below zero, and frequently at zero or above, if the 

 buds have swollen during warm periods in the winter and 

 early spring. Peaches are generally grown upon sandy 

 loam soils, but do well upon light clays if they are 

 naturally well drained. Particular attention should be 

 paid to having them in some elevated spot in order that 

 they may have perfect air drainage, unless they are in 

 sections where the natural surroundings prevent extremes 

 of temperature. 



Although most growers find it advisable to plant the 

 trees from eighteen to twenty feet each way, some prefer 

 to grow them as close as from twelve to fifteen feet, and 

 do this by severely heading-back the trees. Trees one 

 year from bud should be used, and should be cut back to 

 a whip, unless there are side shoots where the head is to 

 be formed, in which case three or four of them should be 

 cut back to two buds each, and all others, as well as the 

 center shoot, removed. In most sections it will be pref- 

 erable to have the lower branches not more than eighteen 

 to twenty-four inches from the ground, and in the south- 

 ern states, twelve inches will be sufficient. Until the 

 trees come into bearing, the shoots should be cut back 



