10 



SOILS 

 A deep, well drained sandy or gravelly loam soil is be- 

 lieved to be ideal for peaches. This fruit will succeed upon 

 a wide range of soils if they are well drained, but by all 

 means avoid a wet, or poorly drained soil. 



SIZE OF TREES FOR PLANTING 



There is some difference of opinion as to the relative 

 value of the various grades of trees for planting. 



My experience has been that in general a medium to a 

 medium large tree is most desirable or, in other words, trees 

 that will caliper five-eighths to three quarters inch. Larger 

 trees will make a good growth if dug carefully from the 

 nursery and are not cut back too severely when set. Trees 

 three-eighths to one half inch in caliper may make about as 

 much growth the first season as slightly larger trees, if soil 

 conditions are favorable. But, on the other hand, if the 

 smaller trees have been culled out from among the large 

 trees in a nursery some of them may be naturally weak 

 trees. The very small trees with small fibrous roots are also 

 more easily injured if subjected to dry conditions at any 

 time before they are planted. 



DISTANCE APART TO SET TREES 



Peach trees are quite commonly planted at all dis- 

 tances from 15 feet up to 20 feet. Some have also been set 

 closer than 15 feet apart and also at a greater distance than 

 20 feet. 



The advantages claimed for close planting are that one 

 has a much larger number of trees per acre and by keeping 

 them cut back they are easier to spray and harvest the fruit 

 from and the yield will be as large or larger than from a 

 smaller number of large trees. 



The trees in the Experiment Orchard at Vineland, N. J., 

 which was planted in 1907, were set 15 feet apart each Avay 

 to test out the close planting method. The trees have been 

 cut back annually to keep them within bounds so they could 

 be properly cultivated. These trees have cropped regularly 

 since 1910 and have produced good crops,but I would not 

 advise practical growers to set trees as close as 15 feet. 



