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fleshed, and hangs to the tree well. It starts to ripen about 18 days ahead of 

 Elberta, The tree is large, vigorous, and productive with fruit buds which are 

 fairly cold resistant. All -things considered, Halehaven will be hard to beat for 

 its season, 



Suramercrest, a cross -of J, H, Hale x Cumberland and one of the more fecent 

 introdu'ctions l^rom New Jersey, has con&iderable merit as a variety to fill in 

 between Halehaven and Elberta, The fruit starts to ripen a v;eelc tO'.lO days ahead 

 of Elbe'rta* It is yellow fleshed, freestone, fine flavored, large and v;ell 

 colored and attractive when grovm under proper conditions. Unfortunately, the 

 fruit does not hroig to tli? tree well and must be picked aa soon as it becomes 

 firm ripe. It also softens a little too rapidly for best commercial handling* 

 The tree is large, vigorous and productive. In fact, it^ is so vigorous that if 

 planted on rather fertile soils or overstiniulated by cultural treatment, it easilj^ 

 becomes over vegetative and produces fruit v;ith little red color* It vdll probably 

 never be in a class v;ith Golden Jubilee, Halehaven and Elberta but has a place in 

 the variety list until a better one is found, 



Elberta has been the outstanding commercial' peach of the eastern United States 

 for many years. Its v;ide adaptability, productiveness, desirable commercial 

 characteristics and wise consumer acceptance have made it popular in many sections 

 and it vi,'ill remain popular until a better variety of the same season is found. It 

 is losing same of its popularity in ilasoachusetts because it ripens in Mcintosh 

 season. Most of the peaches produced in Massachusetts are grown by apple 

 orchardists who raise peaches for diversification. Consequently, any peach variety 

 which competes for labor with iiclntosh harvest has less appeal than a variety 

 ripening ahead of Mcintosh, 



J. H« Hale is another old variety vrhich vms very popular for many -jrears but 

 has been losing some Of its popularity recently. The fruit is yellow fleshed, 

 freestone, very large, attractive, fine flavored, and firm, an excellent commercial 

 peach in its fruit characteristics. However, the tree is distinctly d\7arfish, 

 lacking in vigor, and shy on production. The fruit buds are quite susceptible to 

 winter injury. Also, this is one of the few peaoh varieties which is self sterile 

 and requires cross pollination. It is the tree and not the fruit charactcj-* which 

 have lost J, H, Hale much of. its former popularity. It ripens v/ith or a little 

 after Elberta and so it also needs attention in Mcintosh sea»on« It is undoubtedly 

 on the way out, 



.. J, S, Bailey 



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Apples and Pears Ripen Faster Of f than C^^ th e Tree » In 1947 a USDA worker 

 compared the rate of ripening of Delicious apples and Anjou pears by keep- 

 ing half of the fruit unharve'sted and an equal nimber in cheesecloth bags 

 suspended from the same limbs. Differences in maturity of the two lots 

 were determined periodically by ]jioans of a pressure tester and the amount 

 of soluble pectin present. It was found that the Delicious apples ripened 

 three time« faster in the bags than on the tree and the pears 'in bags, four 

 times faster. This study shows v;hat every grower should laiow, that the 

 beat place to keep fruit is on the trees unless it can bo placed inmiodia- 

 tely in cold storage,' (From T.'isconsin Horticulture) 



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