26 DWYEK'S GUIDE. 



PEACH TREES, 



No single family of fruits of the tree, bush and 

 vine has grown in importance for the last ten years 

 like the Peach. It is the fact that during this per- 

 iod the consumption of all fruits has increased to a 

 greater proportion than ever before in the history 

 of the country, and this increase is larger and more 

 noticeable each year both in the use of the fruit 

 in its natural state and preserved. The demand 

 for the Peach has been far the greatest, and we 

 cannot say that it has been fully supplied. More than 

 ten years ago a Peach orchard of five hundred 

 trees was quite a singular sight; at the present time most any up-to-data 

 progressive fruit grower will fruit this' quantity of trees, while in the 

 principal Peach growing sections of the country you will find the or- 

 chards, numbering from three to ten thousand trees. Profitable results 

 always follow the production of good Peaches, and one fact proves 

 it. The largest and best growers are the ones who have been extending 

 their plantations for some time past and at the present time, too. It 

 is also an encouraging sign to see those with gardens of their own, 

 large and small, growing their own fruit. A quarter of a century ago it 

 was thought, and in fact decided, that Peaches could only be grown in 

 some special favored conditions of soils and climates. To-day they are 

 successfully cultivated and produced in all parts of the country, except 

 in Maine, Vermont, and the Northwestern States beyond the great lakes. 

 With a judicious selection of varieties we can have this delicious fruit 

 in its natural state on our tables each day from the middle of July until 

 along in October, and this privilege is possible and within the reach 

 of all with a list of six or seven sorts that ripen at different periods of 

 the season. As a canned fruit the Peach has no superior. There is no 

 tree fruit as easily grown and that will come into full bearing so soon 

 after planting as the Peach. 



The Soil for Peach Trees should be prepared as previously ex- 

 plained in the beginning of this book. The Peach succeeds best on a 

 sandy loam, but good results can be had from them when properly culti- 

 vated on any land that water does not lay on for any length of time after 

 a rain storm. We should select the highest ground we have for our 

 Peach trees. They can be grown on side hill situations quite regardless 

 of the exposure — in fact Peaches can be produced on land that is of little 

 value for any other crop. Our aim from the beginning must be to proper- 

 ly prepare and enrich our soil and plant our trees on elevated locations 

 to give them every favorable chance and opportunity to bring the fruit- 

 ing buds through the Winter uninjured. 



Plant the Trees Fifteen Feet Apart Each Way. — This is the best 

 distance, all things considered. However, on very light land they may 

 be planted as close as twelve feet, while on heavy rich land they should 

 be planted eighteen feet apart. We must study the character of our 

 soil and our individual purposes and conveniences in determining the 

 distance. If it is our intention to pr\ine back severely each year for large 

 and best fruit, we should plant our trees closer than we would when we 



