142 THE PEACHES OF NEW YORK 



Blooming Periods and Season of Ripening of Peach-Varieties — Continued 



The peach seldom sufiEers from hot weather in New York. The fruit 

 is sometimes injured in the full blaze of the sun but the foliage usually 

 furnishes ample protection against svich injury. On the other hand, for 

 a finely finished product the peach must have an unclouded sun and ample 

 air, these conditions giving high color and full flavor. 



The peach requires less moisture than most other fruits — its original 

 home was on the desert's edge in Asia. In New York the rainfall is usually 

 quite sufficient in all peach-regions for this crop, the exception being, 

 possibly, in the southern part of the Central Lakes region, where, in the 

 lands adapted to the peach, the soil is often thin and drought, season after 

 season, lays heavily on the land. The peach in New York more often 

 suffers from too much rain than too little. Cold, wet weather in blooming 

 time is the fruit-grower's vernal bane in this State and rain not infre- 

 quently prevents a set of peaches even in localities where the spring rain- 

 fall is light. Monthly and seasonal " means " of precipitation, especially 

 of the month of May, are of considerable importance in determining the 

 desirability of a locality for peaches. 



There are several other phases of climate usually of but local appli- 



