12 



are medium hardy while Early and Late Crawford, Momi- 

 tain Rose, Reeves ' Favorite and Fox Seedling are tender. 



During the past spring, however, other facts in regard 

 to fruit setting of the peach were noted which may well be 

 mentioned in a discussion of hardiness. Most varieties of 

 peaches are self fertile or in other words their flowers are 

 capable of setting fruit when fertilized with their own 

 pollen, so that comparatively little attention has been given 

 to the pollination of this fruit. 



Cold, wet, weather prevailed at Vineland, N. J. last 

 spring during the blooming period of peaches and Greens- 

 boro failed to set scarcely any fruit. A test of the pollen of 

 a considerable number of varieties of jDcaches in the labora- 

 tory showed that the pollen of some remained viable for a 

 longer period than others and the Greensboro pollen the past 

 spring was one of the weakest. 



OTHER WEATHER TROUBLES 

 Injury to peach buds and twigs are weather troubles 

 often experienced by peach growers in localities where low 

 winter temperatures prevail. 



We are told that a late wood growth is the thing most 

 to be feared in such localities but I believe that a too severe 

 check to wood growth especially in midsummer is equally 

 as bad. Much of the winter injury to trees in general fol- 

 lows a dry summer and fall. Old trees suffer more from 

 bark splitting and winter injury than young trees. There- 

 fore maintain cultivation in the orchard until about August 

 1st, in eastern districts. Georgia and Ontario districts may 

 vary from this rule. 



Twig and bud killing by low winter temperature is 

 seldom serious in New Jersey in well managed orchards of 

 hardy varieties but considerable collar rot as a result of 

 winter injury does occur. This injury is in the form of bark 

 killing on the trunk at or just below the surface of the 

 ground. Unless the injury is very severe the trees do not 

 begin to die until about midsummer when the fruit becomes 

 shrivelled and the trees gradually die. If the injury is very 

 slight so that the bark is simply yellowed and spongy the 

 fruit is often forced up to an unusually large size as would 



