94 THE CULTIVATION OF THE 



degrees below zero, by experience has proved disastrous 

 to the coming crop, and this has been so universally the 

 case, that we look upon that mark on the thermometer as 

 registering the death-blow to the yield of the coming 

 season. Now, as to this matter, there are many attend- 

 ing circumstances to be taken into consideration. If the 

 previous season's growth of wood has been a favorable 

 one, if the fall has been one in which the growing bud 

 flourished, and neither too dry nor too cold, so that the 

 wood and buds be neither stunted, nor soft and flabby, 

 the season up to December closing thus favorably, this 

 wood and these buds will stand low temperature much 

 better during December and January, than had the wood 

 and buds opposite qualities from these mentioned. Six 

 degrees below zero will not injure strong buds and 

 strong wood, as much as zero weather will injure weak 

 buds and weak wood. What the peach wants is weather 

 that is equal in temperature, and the model season is a 

 winter neither too warm nor too cool, and a like spring 

 not opening too early. Peaches are, probably, most 

 frequently injured in the spring, just when the blossom 

 is shedding its leaves, leaving the young peach exposed, 

 and as this happens at different periods in the life of the 

 young peach, depending whether you are south or north 

 on the peninsula, it accounts for the crop often being 

 killed in the southern part, and saved in the northern 

 part, or this may be reversed. I think it is about from 



