148 THE CULTIVATION OF THE 



SUN-DRIED FRUIT. 



This has been driven out almost entirely by the 

 evaporated fruit, but for sun-drying, it is pared or not, as 

 you choose, then quartered, usually, and spread on roofs 

 or boards, or on any convenient substance, covered with 

 netting to keep off insects, removed under shelter in 

 case of rain, and left in the sun until cured ; the time 

 depending much on the weather. 



I have made some calculation in regard to what 

 might be the average cost to the grower of a basket of 

 peaches grown on the Peninsula, and delivered at the rail- 

 road station or steamboat-landing. I have considered 

 the interest on investments in land, the trees, the loss of 

 time before bearing, the labor, the packing, and all losses 

 by elements, etc., with a complete loss of crop once in 

 seven years, and I think the cost will run from twenty- 

 five to thirty cents per basket. 



Since writing the chapter in this book on the fer- 

 tilization of peach orchards, I have visited the peach 

 country, and talked and consulted with many of the 

 most intelligent growers, have studied the question 

 practically, myself, and as a result, have formulated the 

 following rules for fertilizing the Peach tree. In apply- 

 ing these rules, study every individual tree, and apply 

 them to it, and next, in general to the whole orchard. 



