274 



CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



ing the creek beds of our warm valleys, and will send its roots 

 deep to secure long life and abundant fruitage. Such soils, whether 

 along existing streams or deposited by prehistoric water courses, 

 which have left their mark by the elevated ridges of rich sediment 

 above the prevailing valley soils, are warm, deep, and thoroughly 

 drained, and delight the peach. Peaches are grown very success- 

 fully on what is called hard-pan in some parts of Fresno County, 

 providing the hard-pan is blasted as described in Chapter XL In 

 these situations the hard-pan is near the surface and has a deep, 

 free soil below it into which the roots can extend. 



At elevations on the hillsides there are free loams which result 

 from decomposition of the underlying rocks, and on them the peach 

 thrives, both where the soils themselves are deep and where the 

 underlying rock is loose and open, permeable by roots and afford- 

 ing escape for water. Success has been reported even when holes 

 are partly excavated in these rotten rocks, as in the soft sand rock 

 on the hills east of Vaca Valley, or in the broken chalk rock in 

 what is called Blackburn Gulch, near Santa Cruz. The superior 

 warmth of such soils is supposed to minister to earlier ripening 

 of the fruit, though the escape from cold air by elevation is no doubt 

 a greater factor to the end. 



The influence of comparatively slight difference in elevation is 

 very marked. E. R. Thurber, of Pleasant Valley, Solano County,* 

 had for many years a plat of peach trees on a natural terrace about 

 seventy-five feet higher than the general level of his orchard. On 

 the terrace peaches ripen and are disposed of before the same 

 varieties ripen in the orchard below. 



As in the valley a short distance to water is to be avoided, so 

 on the hills too great percolation from higher levels is undesirable. 

 Of course natural defects of this kind can be corrected by ade- 

 quate under-drainage. 



Still, though such be the general soil conditions best suited to 

 the peach, the tree can be well grown for home use or local markets 

 on somewhat heavier soil, providing there is good drainage, but 

 drainage must be insisted upon, for thousands of trees have per- 

 ished because planted in retentive soils without drainage. Alkaline 

 soils which are usually rather heavy should, however, be avoided, 

 as the peach, when grown on its own roots, seems to be of all 

 fruits most sensitive to alkali. 



As to exposures for the peach the same rules hold as for other 

 fruits which are liable to injury when in bloom or young foliage. 

 Thus low places where cold air settles should be avoided, also low 

 gulches through which cold drafts prevail. In frosty situations an 

 incline away from the morning sun will often allow the trees to 

 escape serious injury. 



