180 PEACH CULTURE. 



of it. The peach season proper, on the Delaware Penin- 

 sula, continues two months from the first of August. To 

 supply this, it requires eight or ten varieties, at least, 

 ripening consecutively ; and they must be carefully 

 selected with this view, for if they overlap or run into 

 each other that number will not be sufficient. But if 

 there is a full crop, when all varieties are fruitful, the sea- 

 son often commences earlier, and. runs clear through Sep- 

 tember, adding five or six weeks to its duration. Now 

 if the planter wishes to avail himself of this entire pe- 

 riod, he will have to plant accordingly, commencing with 

 the very earliest, and closing with the very latest. And 

 again, he may be afraid to rely on a single variety in each 

 progressive step of the course ; and, if so, he will plant 

 double that is, he will plant two varieties, ripening as 

 nearly together as practicable, and thus guard against the 

 failure of either to produce a crop, or to command an ade- 

 quate price. This, of course, will largely increase his list. 

 But the reflective planter may think that a few well 

 chosen sorts will pay him better than many some of 

 which are not first-rate and confine his selection to these. 

 This will do very well if nobody leads or follows him. 

 But suppose all come to the same conclusion, and act ac- 

 cordingly ? It is easily seen the peach season would soon 

 be reduced to a few days only, and then there would be 

 such a glut that transportation could not be found, even 

 if pickers and buyers could. The folly of running away 

 after a few special favorites has been seen in several in- 

 stances. A few years ago, the rage was for very early 

 fruit, because very early fruit had sold exceedingly high. 

 Nurserymen were beset by anxious enquiries after early 

 trees. The old, favorite kinds, they could only sell in 

 small quantities, if at all, and at reduced prices. To meet 

 this urgent demand, they sought out and propagated the 

 earliest varieties almost exclusively. The market was 

 soon supplied with trees ; they were planted by hundreds 



