1228 
PEACH 
as Crawford (Fig. 1664). 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. 1665). which are as 
1660. peen-to Peach 
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. 1666 shows two extremes. The craw- 
fords are small-flowered the Alexander and Amsden 
are large flowered. 
propagation. - tbe 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 
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 
PEACH 
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 i:,ll and t.. 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- 
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, and heading- 
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 if, 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 
si/i 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: 
