44 THE CULTIVATION OF THE 



heat given out often saves winter-killing of wood and 

 buds, as we saw in the cold winter of '80 and '81, when 

 all the peaches we had were grown near water. I want 

 no woods or other shelter near my orchard. If I must 

 have it, let it be to the east, and not to the north or the 

 west. If to the north or the west, then the trees are 

 sheltered, are forced ahead too early in the spring, and 

 are thus more vulnerable to late frosts. I say again, I 

 don't seek any shelter, but an eastern shelter may possi" 

 bly save my crop, when a severe, cold, easterly storm 

 comes at the last of the bloom. Yet, altogether, I 

 believe even the eastern shelter, say in a period of ten 

 years, would do more harm than good. As to soil, all 

 the soil of the peninsula is more or less suitable to the 

 peach, and there are many differences of opinion as to 

 the very best. I believe the very best soil, if I could 

 have the selecting of it, to be a strong, mellow loam, in 

 fair agricultural condition, with only a moderate amount 

 of sand, with an open, well drained sub-soil of yellow 

 or red clay, containing, naturally, a large amount of 

 potash and iron, under which you would find water by 

 digging down twenty to thirty feet. In this soil I should 

 expect, with proper, healthy, thrifty trees, and careful 

 culture, good crops of fruit, with good size, good flavor 

 and high color, and these cover all the good points in 

 peach-culture. 



PLANTING THE TREES. 



When you plant an orchard always choose the very 



