40 THE PEACH 



the further South we proceed the more precarious 

 and uncertain is the peach crop from the same 

 cause. The peaches raised in Michigan and Wis- 

 consin, for the Chicago market, are principally from 

 orchards cultivated in the vicinity of the lakes, 

 these affording protection to the crop from the se- 

 vere frosts of spring, and the trees from the sever- 

 ity of winter. 



PLANTING. 



In preparing the ground for planting, the soil 

 should be deeply broken up, fully to the depth re- 

 quired for setting the trees, when practicable ; rocks 

 and stones may be obstacles ; follow the plow by a 

 thorough harrowing of the ground ; in stiff or clay 

 ground sub-soiling would be of vast advantage. 

 In laying off the rows for planting, which must be 

 done by a heavy plow and a good strong pair of 

 horses, turning the ground up fully to the depth or 

 deeper than the first plowing, so that in cross-check- 

 ing, the intersection of the furrows, as laid out, 

 will form the holes for planting, only wanting a 

 little filling or leveling with the shovel to prepare 

 them for the tree. With ground prepared in this 

 way, and with four men, and a boy to drop the 

 trees, I have set out 1,000 trees in nine hours. From 

 the time of taking up the trees at the nursery to 

 the time of planting them in the ground prepared 



