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Chapter III. 



THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF PEACH 

 OECHAEDS IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



J. K. SHAW, RESEARCH PROFESSOR OF POMOLOGT, MASSACHUSETTS 

 EXPERIMENT STATION. 



Massachusetts is on the northern frontier of peach growing. 

 While there is limited production in southern New Hampshire 

 and still more limited production in southern Maine and 

 Vermont, the commercial crop in these three States is almost 

 negligible. It follows that the peach industry in Massa- 

 chusetts is beset with many diflScuIties and calls for wide and 

 thorough knowledge and a high degree of skill on the part of 

 the grower if he is to attain a commercial success in the 

 business. 



During the past few years peach growing in the northern 

 and central portions of the United States has been passing 

 through a period of depression. There have been several years 

 of partial or complete crop failure, while apple growing has 

 been more profitable, causing many growers to turn from 

 peaches to apples as a more profitable crop. Peach growing 

 has always had its ups and downs, and it is reasonable to 

 suppose that in the near future there may be a revival of 

 interest in the business. 



Limiting Factobs. 

 1. Winter-killing of Fruit Buds. 

 The most frequent cause of crop failure in Massachusetts 

 is winter-killing of the fruit buds. Buds that are perfectly 

 dormant may survive a temperature of 20 degrees below zero, 

 but higher temperatures are often fatal especially when, as fre- 

 quently happens, the buds are started into slight growth by 

 warm periods in midwinter. Buds are sometimes practically all 



