1228 



PEACH 



PEACH 



as Crawford (Fig. 1604), Oldmixon, Salway, and the 

 like. The varieties of Peaches are many, although less 

 numerous than those of apples. An inventory of 73 

 catalogues of American nurserymen, in 1900, showed 

 291 varieties on the market. 



The Peach is a showy tree when in bloom. There are 

 double - flowered varieties (Fig. 1065), which are as 



1660. Peen-to Peach (X 



handsome as the dwarf flowering almond, and they are 

 more showy because of the greater size of the tree. 

 These double - flowered varieties have never become 

 popular, however, owing to risks of winter injury and 

 spring frosts, depredation of borers, and the short sea- 

 son in which they remain in bloom. The flowers of the 

 Peach are naturally variable in both size and color. 

 Peach-growers are aware that there are small-flowered 

 and large - flowered varieties. The character of the 

 flower is as characteristic of the variety as size or color 

 of fruit is. Fig. 1606 shows two extremes. The Craw- 

 fords are small-flowered ; the Alexander and Amsden 

 are large flowered. 



Propagation. The Peach is always propagated by 

 means of seeds. The first year the seedlings are 

 budded to the desired variety. The seed is planted on 

 the first opening of spring in rows far enough apart to 

 allow of horse tillage, and the seeds are dropped every 

 6 to 8 inches in the row. These seeds should have been 

 kept moist during the winter. Usually they are piled 

 out of doors, being mixed with sand or gravel, and al- 

 lowed to freeze. The shells are then soft when plant- 

 ing time arrives and many of the pits will be split. 

 Then it will not be necessary to crack the pits. In the 

 northern states the trees will be ready for budding in 

 August and early September. The buds are set close to 

 the surface of the ground, and they do not start until 

 the following spring. The year succeeding the bud- 

 ding, the bud should make a tree 3 to 6 feet in height, 

 and at the end of that season it is ready for sale ; that 

 is, the tree is sold when it is one season from the bud. 

 In the southern states, Peach seedlings may be large 

 enough to bud in June or early July of the year in 

 which the seeds are sown. The buds will then grow 

 that season, and the trees be ready for sale that fall. 

 That is, the whole process is completed within the space 

 of one season. These "June-budded trees " are popular 

 in the South, but they have never become thoroughly 

 established in popular favor in the North. They are 

 very likely to be injured by the first winter, since the 

 trees are not so well matured, as a rule, as the one-year- 

 old trees grown in the North. If, however, they with- 

 stand the first winter, they should make as good trees 



it may be more juicy. The soil in the great Peach sec- 

 tions of Michigan and the North Atlantic region is light 

 and loose. On heavy lands the Peach is likely to grow 

 too late in the fall and to make too much wood. The 

 fruit is usually somewhat lower in color and tends to 

 be later in ripening. The low color may be corrected, 

 however, by planting the trees far apart, and by prun- 

 ing to open tops to admit the sun. 



Since the Peach blooms very early and the flowers 

 are liable to be killed by late spring frosts, it is import- 

 ant that the site on which the orchard is planted 

 should either be relatively free from late spring frosts 

 or such as to retard the bloom. In proximity to large 

 bodies of water, late spring frosts are less likely to 

 occur, and the tree blooms relatively late because the 

 water equalizes the climate and adjacent areas do not 

 warm up so quickly in the spring. This is particularly 

 true along such large bodies of water as the Great 

 Lakes. In interior places it is well to choose a northern 

 slope or other backward site, on which place the trees 

 are retarded in bloom. In warm exposures in cities 

 Peaches are very likely to be caught by late spring 

 frosts because they bloom too early. It is usually better 

 in such cases to plant the trees on the north side of a 

 building. 



Peach trees are always set when not more than one 

 year from the bud. The distance apart varies with dif- 



1661. Honey Peach (X %). 



as others. For the details of propagation, see the article 

 on Graftage in Vol. II. 



Soil and Planting. The Peach will thrive on most 

 any soil, providing the climate and site are congenial. 

 The best Peach land, however, is that which is light and 

 sandy. On such lands the Peach develops its highest 

 color and its richest flavor, although on heavier lands 



1662. Cabler Peach (X % 



ferent soils, different parts of the country and with dif- 

 ferent growers. The standard and maximum distance 

 is twenty feet apart each way. If trees are planted at 

 this distance, they maybe tilled with ease, andheading- 

 in may not be necessary. Many growers, however, plant 

 closer than this with excellent results. By giving extra 

 good tillage and fertilizing they force trees to bear young, 

 and by the time the trees begin to crowd the orchard 

 has paid for itself, and some of the trees may be re- 

 moved. Whilst this practice may be advised in special 

 cases, the case depending on the energy and ability of 

 the owner, it is not to be advised for general purposes. 

 Tilling and Fertilizing. Having selected his land, 

 the Peach-grower must look with the greatest care to 

 the cultivation and fertilizing of the orchard. Peach 

 orchards should not be cropped after the third year; and 

 if they are planted on sandy lands, and particularly if 

 set less than 20 feet apart, they should not be cropped 

 from the time they are set. Very frequent stirring of 

 the surface soil from May until August, and thereafter, 

 perhaps, a green crop which shall be plowed under the 

 next spring, is the best general plan of tillage. Never 

 seed down a Peach orchard nor sow it to grain. If there 

 is any fruit that should never be neglected, it is the 

 Peach; and this is why careless men do not succeed 

 with it, and why so many of the orchards produce only 

 debts and discouragement. But it is easy to produce an 

 overgrowth on strong lands. The trees grow to a great 

 size during the first few years, their tops are full of 

 heavy leaves and the foliage holds very late in the fall. 

 These trees generally bear tardily and in some cases 

 they are not productive. They run to wood. The winds 

 tear them to pieces. The trouble lies first in the land: 



