172 



STONE FRUITS 



.. 



Propagation. Peaches, as well as the other stone 

 fruits, are propagated by growing seedling trees from 

 seeds and then grafting the seedlings with buds from 

 the variety to be grown. 



The trees do not live so long as apple trees ; nor do 

 they grow so large and therefore they may be planted 



more closely together. A good 

 distance is fifteen or twenty 

 feet apart each way. 



The fruit. - - The common 

 peaches are covered with fine 

 hair or fuzz. The nectarine is 

 a variety with a smooth sur- 

 face. Peaches whose flesh is 

 free from the stones are called 

 freestones, and those whose 

 flesh is firmly held to the stones 

 are called clingstones. 



Peaches are extremely perish- 

 able, and must be used within 

 a few days after they are ripe. 

 They are eaten raw, and may 

 be canned, dried, or preserved. 

 Plums are grown in all sections of the United States, 

 but the states of California, Oregon, and Washington 

 produce nearly four fifths of the entire yield. Outside 

 of the Pacific states they are grown only for local use. 

 Kinds of plums. In this country three general 

 kinds of plums are grown. The Japanese plums are 



PEACH 



