CHAPTER IV. 



THE PEACH. 



- THE PEACH, the most delicious fruit, when in perfection, 

 of our climate, succeeds in favorable localities, from Maine 

 to the Gulf of Mexico. In the more northern regions, the 

 ripening of the earlier varieties commences only a few 

 weeks before the close of the summer months ; in the ex- 

 treme south, well matured peaches are obtained nearly as 

 early as cherries and strawberries at the north. 



The trees are more tender and of shorter duration than 

 most fruit trees of temperate climates. In some localities, 

 they bear only two or three good crops, and then decline or 

 perish. On favorable soils, they continue for twenty or 

 thirty years. In western New- York, trees have in rare in- 

 stances borne fruit for forty or fifty years. In France, ac- 

 cording to authentic testimony, peach trees which have been 

 annually and freely pruned, have lived to an age of one hun- 

 dred years ; and there is no doubt that on favorable soils, 

 and by a regular shortening-in pruning, most of our orchards 

 would endure much longer than the ordinary period. 



The most extensive peach-growing regions are in New- 

 Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Some orchards have con- 

 tained 20,000 trees, and hundreds of acres have been occu- 

 pied with the plantations of single proprietors. The north- 

 ern portions of Ohio and westerrn New- York, protected on 

 the north by Lakes Erie and Ontario, afford a very favor- 

 able climate for this fruit. But throughout the country at 

 large, the selection of proper localities would doubtless af- 

 ford good and regular crops, even in districts where its 

 culture is rarely attempted. The remarks on this subject 

 on p. 63 of this work, are particularly commended to the 

 attention of those who may, attempt the peach culture in se- 

 vere climates. 



