42 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1897. 



(and I have tried nearly all), are the Mt. Rose, Stump the World, 

 early and late Crawford, Oldmixou and Crosby. Many kinds have 

 been "called" but "few chosen," for this soil and climate. The 

 peach is one of our finest fruits, when well cared for ; but of late it 

 is uncertain, and does not seem so hardy. It is a native of Asia and 

 China, where the climate is much less severe than ours. The favorite 

 soil is a light sandy loam. To insure a peach crop in New England 

 every year, some method must be devised to protect the fruit- buds 

 from winter-killing. Generally they are destroyed if the temperature 

 falls lower than 15 degrees below zero and remains a considerable 

 time at that point. In the fall of 1885 many of the buds were 

 destroyed when the temperature had not fallen below 18 degrees 

 above zero. In 1886 many buds were destroyed before Dec. 1. A 

 disease known as the Yellows is a serious hindrance to peach culture. 

 I believe there is no permanent cure for it, at least the cure is not 

 worth the pay ; the best doctor is the axe. I believe it is contagious, 

 spreading to other trees. The first indication of the Yellows we 

 notice is, that the fruit is small, and ripens prematurely, and instead 

 of the color being shaded very evenly, we find it in spots, too high 

 colored. The leaves turn yellow very early in the season. Another 

 pest is the borer. Hale Brothers' famous remedy for the peach 

 borer is thus prepared: In 100 gallons of water dissolve 25 

 pounds of common potash, add 1 gallon of crude carbolic acid, 

 and lime enough to mix to the consistency of thick whitewash. To 

 be applied in April and May. I know that the peach culture is not 

 all smooth sailing ; but the reason why I am interested in the subject, 

 is because I raise the fruit, and sell it at a profit. You will excuse 

 me if under this head, " Possibilities for Certain Women, What a 

 few have done and more could do," I am somewhat personal. 



We hear and read a great deal about over-production, and under- 

 consumption. There is no such thing today as over-production in 

 Massachusetts. A first-class No. 1 article always sells. I thought a 

 few years ago when I first launched out in the market gardening busi- 

 ness, that tiiere might be such a thing; but I doubled my business, 

 and did all the better. There Avas a time when we thought we could 

 not raise lettuce for less than a dollar per dozen ; now I should be 

 very glad to get fifty cents. There was a time when we could not 

 grow it (or thought we could not) in hot-houses, but were obliged 

 to grow it in hot-beds outside. 



This has all been done away with. 



One swallow does not make a summer, nor one collapse in apple or 



