164 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



ORCHARDS. 



MIDDLESEX. 



From the Report of the Committee on Fruits. 



Peaches, we have learned from experience, are unprofitable 

 except when planted on high land, where a crop may be pro- 

 duced on an average, as often as two years in three. This is 

 not a paying business, or one that affords a high degree of sat- 

 isfaction, to prune and cultivate peach trees from year to year, 

 and only get an occasional crop. Our own experience in the 

 business is this : we have three peach orchards, from two of 

 which, though they are somewhat elevated above the hollows, 

 we have gathered but one crop during the last three years. 

 Our other orchard, which is on the highest spot, or nearly so, 

 upon our farm, during the last three years has produced three 

 crops of fruit. Quite a difference, especially in a pecuniary 

 point of view. For a peach orchard, we prefer a gravelly, 

 rather hard, and naturally, dryish soil ; sandy soil is entirely 

 unfit in this climate. 



Peach limbs split from each other so easily, when allowed 

 three or four leading branches of nearly equal size, that we pre- 

 fer to let them have an upright leader in the centre of the tree, 

 with side branches stretching off at angle a little above the 

 horizontal line, for the reason that such branches grow in as 

 strong as a pin, and are not liable to split from the main stem ; 

 give them an annual shortening in, and keep them moderately 

 thrifty by dressing and cultivation, but avoid a forced or ram- 

 pant growth of peach trees in cold Yankeedom. We have 

 found that those varieties with glandless leaves are not so 

 healthy, do not thrive and bear so well as those with glands. 

 Early and late Crawford are among the most popular market 

 varieties. Many others are good, and persons can govern them- 

 selves in selecting trees according to numbers wanted, of early, 

 late and mediums. We have two varieties which we consider 

 most profitable to us : Butler's Late, and Osgood's Late Yellow. 

 The former originated in Pelham, N. H., on the farm of Asa 

 Butler, and the latter in Dracut, by William F. Osgood ; both 



