UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



ft BULLETIN No. 298 



Contribution from Office of Markets and Rural Organization <; wf», 

 JZ?$*^^U CHARLES J. BRAND, Chief JV^^Wite 



Washington, D. C. T August 31, 1915. 



PEACH SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION IN 1914. 1 



By Wells A. Sherman, Specialist in Market Surveys; Houston F. Walker, 

 Scientific Assistant; L. Herbert Martin, Assistant in Market Surveys. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 1 



Preliminary inquiry 3 



Second inquiry — sources of information 3 



The shipping season 3 



Areas of commercial production 5 I Peach shipments, 1914 



Presentation of data 6 



Work under way 7 



Principal shipping States 7 



Explanation of map 8 



Prospective shipments for 1915 8 



INTRODUCTION. 



Peaches, being among the most highly perishable crops, present 

 many difficult marketing problems. A large part of the crop must 

 be transported over long distances to find profitable markets, being 

 handled under refrigeration in insulated cars especially constructed 

 for the transportation of perishable commodities. 



In many sections large orchards have been planted and careful 

 study has been given to the best methods of propagation, pruning, 

 cultivation, and general care of the trees, so that there are perhaps 

 few crops to which more scientific methods are applied so far as 

 production is concerned. 2 



Much attention recently has been given in certain sections to 

 grading and packing, but in most localities these two essentials in the 

 successful marketing of peaches are not receiving the attention they 

 deserve. All growers should realize the importance of taking the 

 greatest care in the preparation of this crop for market. When the 



1 About 95 per cent of the reports of shipments listed in this publication were furnished by railroad 

 officials, to whom grateful acknowledgment is made for their courtesy and assistance. 



2 Gould, H. P. Growing Peaches: Sites, propagation, planting, tillage, and maintenance of soil fertility. 

 (Farmers' Bulletin 631.) Growing Peaches: Pruning, renewal of tops, thinning, interplanted crops, and 

 special practices. (Farmers' Bulletin 632.) 



Note. — This bulletin is of general interest to peach growers, shippers, dealers, transportation companies, 

 and consumers. 



4519°— Bull. 298—15 1 



