MODERN DEVELOPMENTS IN PEACH GROWING. 



MAURICE A. BLAKE, NEW JERSEY EXPERIMENT STATION, NEW BRUNS- 

 WICK, NEW JERSEY. 



Peach production has occupied an important place in eastern 

 fruit growing since early colonial days. Orchards of hundreds 

 and thousands of seedling trees were common before the Revo- 

 lutionary War, and peach yellows, the great scourge of the 

 peach industry, had even appeared by that time. 



W^ are, then, discussing an industry as old as colonial Amer- 

 ica, and you have asked me to address you upon its modern 

 developments. Some one has said, "There is nothing new under 

 the sun," and while I do not subscribe to this, it is often diffi- 

 cult to tell where the old leaves off and the modern begins. 



Before we become too deeply concerned with methods and 

 details of practice, it may be w^ell to have a word as to the 

 character of the business, since I infer that it is commercial 

 peach growing that you are principally interested in. 



The fruit of the peach, with its attractive colorings, its aroma 

 and luscious flavor, makes a strong appeal to the prospective 

 grower. Its promptness in coming into bearing and the reports 

 of big profits in a single season are the deciding factors that 

 start many a one in the game. 



Where the climate and soil are favorable, the peach will give 

 profitable returns earlier than any other deciduous fruit, and 

 may give consistent returns. However, in the east it cannot be 

 depended upon to produce a profitable crop before the fourth 

 season and seldom after the tenth or twelfth season in the 

 orchard. This short life must, therefore, be a merry one if 

 the grower is to be properly compensated, and it becomes 

 doubly so in localities where Jack Frost takes heavy toll. 



The peach must remain upon the tree until well matured 

 before high quality is attained, and then it must be soon con- 



