41 



the culture of peaches has almost died out along the shores. 

 I think, however, that they might have stayed in it if they 

 ■had not used nitrogen fertilizers. 



Now, we eome to ^lassachusetts. I think that the op- 

 portunities here are very favorable. I should not dare to 

 set out trees much above the 600 feet level. 



We might take uj^ this matter of fertilizing, which is 

 the cause of so much trouble. These methods of forcing the 

 tree were not adopted in Connecticut until about 10 years 

 .ago. 



Since that time a very great many peach groAvers have 

 Ijecome discouraged. ]\Ir. Hale, for instance, seems to talk 

 as if peach growing was a back number. But he was .mis- 

 led by the wrong methods of feeding his trees. 



My advice would be to set out some fruit trees with 

 some peach trees between the other trees. Once I would 

 not have advised this, but now our spraying can be done 

 without injuring the foliage at all. The only thing needed 

 in my opinion is to regulate fertilizing and cultivation so 

 that there shall be no forcing of trees. 



I took up peach growing as a side issue aliout 20 years 

 ago. I decided to set out a few peach trees, and from that 

 one experiment my orchard has grown. The culture that I 

 gave those trees was very indifferent, yet they bore great 

 crops of fruit. This opened my eyes to the situation, and 

 now I am more enthusiastic over the business than I ever 

 was. I do not see why others cannot do the same that I have 

 done. I am very certain that Massachusetts can do the 

 same. IMassachusetts has a better market for fruit than any 

 other place in the country. 



I want to call your attention to the difference in the 

 price paid for the fruit according to the way it is shipped, 

 that is, by rail or by trucking. A grower told me that he 

 got $1.50 a basket for his peaches because he could let them 

 «tay on the tree until they were ripe and then carry them 

 right to Providence and sell them to the people who want 

 them and who will pay any price for good ones. I got 50c. 

 a basket for mine, but I had to pick them when hard and 

 ship to Providence by rail. There is no market in this 

 country that will compare with the IVIassachusetts market 

 for peaches, but they must be in prime condition. 



I consider that the first three or four years, before the 

 tree bears, are perhaps the most critical years in the life of 



