1236 



PEACH 



winter, in a severe snow storm, a braiicli of one <>t 

 tliem was weiglitod down )>y the snow ami partly split 

 from the trunk and lay thi f<- uiiTii sprini;. Though tlie 

 thermometer during tlie ^i.riLi IVII 1,1 :)(!" below zero, 

 that branch bore fruit IIm- im \r ^.u^on. Remembering 



this, the undersigned felt ili.l.nt tliat if he could 



train Peach trees so that tlie tops could be easily 

 brought down to tlie ground and covered, he could grow 



1676. The tufted shoots of Peach yellows. ( See p. rj31. ) 



this most delicious fruit. After experimenting some 

 time the following method was found to be efficient. 



Secure a very young tree, preferably a seedling from 

 seed, planted where a tree is desired, and train the 

 trunk of it horizontally 8-10 inches from the ground, 

 and suffer no branches to grow. Break off the tender 

 branches when they are not more than 3 inches long by 

 bending them sideways, not down over the leaf, as that 

 would be likely to break off the leaf also. The trunk is 

 kept horizontal while it is growing by tving it loosely 

 to a slender pole, which is fastemd h..iiz"iit;il]y. Of 

 course the tendency of the tree i^ ti. u-i^w upward at 

 the end, and therefore one must li".k t.. it :ilMiiit once a 

 week that the branches are brokni 1.1I :iiid the trunk 

 tied down. When trained in this w^iy tin- tn-.- will con- 

 tinue to grow vigorously until tfo^i s|m]is it. I. tit it is 

 necessary that the young wood h;i^ liim 

 ciently to endure the winter. Th.- » rit. r 



I. nils ,,t- the h,.„:;hs aiv tlinist :i Ijlth' int.. ih.. -n.mi.l 

 they will be frozen in and held firmly. 



In the spring when danger from frost is past uncover 

 the tree, fasten the little pole in its place, tie the tree to 

 it and place the trough over the whole of the tree, ex- 

 cept a little of the tip. This is important, for if this 

 horizontal trunk, which now has no leaves, is not cov 

 m the suu the bark will surel> be killed along 

 Its top After the buds at the tip hue grown a little, 

 hre.ik off ill 1 lit the stiongcst and train as in the pre- 

 \ 1. u \ 11 111 1 .> continue until the desired length cf 

 tiuiik I I 1 ,.m 1 If the tree IS in good soil and well 

 iilti\ It. (I It u ill in 2 or 3 jeais make a trunk 10-15 feet 

 I ii„ \\ 111 11 this latter length is vttamed the trunk is 

 li nt, en0U(,h to be pliable for a good many years, as its 

 thickness does not lucreise ^ eiy fast Now, while keep- 

 ing thehouzontal tiunk in its place allow its end to grow 

 up and form iliexd which m \y bLtiained in afan-shapeil 

 t I hi II paiallel with the tiunk A stout stake is driven 

 t th ] U( e w here the h(_ id IS formed to which it is tied 

 liiiin., the glowing seison When freezing weather 

 III tlu head is loosened from the stake and turned 

 MI idLWa>sons nieeMr^reins placed to keep it off 

 the soil 0\ertli li I t tii ti « put a few more ever- 

 greens and ovei th in I 1 Is to keep snow from 

 sifting m whuhHillm It Iniin, 1 mild time, and later 

 t iim ae ibout the t« u mil ill them 



I I 111 this time the tre itmeut of the tree is the same 

 I th it of any fruit tiee except that it must be covereil 

 I li I ill and tied up each spiing The writer was 

 H 11 n 1 th it he wouhl be tioublcd with mice under the 

 \ iiii^ lilt li. li I 111 ti 111 jilowing between the 

 tit I h I ill ttiii 111^ th fun )\\ s toward the trees, 



ui.l h I 11 t 1 II ti nil I with the rodents. Trees 



ibunddutlj I whLU 5,1""" up'iolit fio'" tlie start. 



J T. Macomber. 



The Miohicav Peach Industri —The history of 



lommeniil Pcaih girwing in Mithigin would be afas- 



itiititi., til ml 1 It it ill 1 1 \ ntteii in detail. 



I 1 1 I I I- .i:,,,v cases the 



uente with a few crops from a well grown orchanl, 

 on a wisely selected location and there immediately fol- 

 lows a class of mm who take money out of other lines 

 and plunge into the mysteries of Peach-growing with 

 the recklessness of a gambler, often purchasing most 

 unsuitable locations, planting large quantities of ill- 

 chosen varieties, cultivating them for a few years, only 

 to learn in the end that Peach-growing is a profession, 

 and the production of large quantities of luscious, beau- 

 tiful fruit, and getting them to market at their highest 

 .stage of excellence, is no mean art. 



The so-called Peach belt of Michigan is a strip of 

 country located on the east shore of Lake Michigan, 

 varying in width from five to ten miles. In three or 

 four locations, owing to the favorable contour of tli.' 

 lake and topography of the land. Peaches are grown 

 with a marked degree of success, even as far as forty 

 miles inland. This belt begins probably fifteen miles 

 south of St. Joseph, in Berrien county, and extends 

 northward to the northern shores of Traverse bay. Lee- 



the 



00.1 ha, I inn- t.. ii|,..n suffi- 

 , Th." writ, r tin. Is ihat if he 

 'ii'li.s f..i' 1-1; weeks before 

 V'.i.. 1 :ii th.- .lid of the trunk 

 I., stall. 1 the winter when 



rst wiiiti-r, take some half- 

 wi.le, mid nail their edges 

 ik.- a wooden eave-trough. 

 IS,- from the pole to which 

 ■Ifiils of earth around the 



are where the land lin.' .xi. n.ls inar.si th,. .■. nter of 

 the lake, while it is nutiL-eable that where th.- hike is 

 broadest, extending into the land, the least success is 

 attained. 



The wonderful success of this region can be ac- 

 counted for by just two conditions, a suitable soil and 

 the thermal influence of Lake Michigan. The combina- 

 tion is so good that this region has not seen nn entire 

 failure of the crop in thirty years, and very few light 

 crops. Usually there are three to five heavy crops to 



