THE PEACHES OF NEW YORK 143 



cation which sometimes become of vital importance to the peach-grower 

 and must receive attention in selecting an orchard-site. The direction, 

 force and frequency of prevailing winds during the blooming and ripening 

 periods; the liability to hail storms; the amoiint of cloudiness in the summer 

 months; the nature and degree of seasonal variations; the degree of 

 humidity of the atmosphere as related to fungus diseases, especially the 

 dreaded brown-rot; and the frequency of drouths are all problems to be 

 solved before planting the peach. 



SOILS FOR PEACHES 



After climate, soil has been the next most potent natural influence 

 in determining the location of the peach-regions of the State and of indi- 

 vidual orchards in the several regions. The peach, of all fruits, is most 

 particular as to soils; though, and this seems not generally tmderstood, 

 the physical condition of the land is quite as important as the kind of 

 soil. That is, the peach grows well on a rather wide range of soils if the land 

 be well drained, well aerated and if it hold heat. All subsequent treatment 

 -fails, whatever , the soil, if the root-run be impeded by water or lack of 

 air and if there be not the stimulus of considerable bottom-heat. These 

 physical conditions modify greatly what is to be said in the next paragraph 

 in regard to the kind of soil. 



In New York the peach thrives best on a light, free-working sandy 

 or gravelly loam but there are many good peach-orchards in gravelly and 

 stony clays — gravel and stone furnishing drainage and aeration and hold- 

 ing heat. Perhaps, in this State, the light types of soil are too often chosen 

 on the theory that the peach will grow on any light, sandy soil. Not so, 

 for the peach will not grow on wind-blown, water- washed sands; on sand 

 banks, in sand pits, on quicksands, on old sandbars or on pure quartz sands, 

 though it is to be found planted on all of these. Nor will the peach flourish 

 on sandy soils at all unless there be a fair admixture of clay and decom- 

 posed vegetable matter and the whole underlain at a depth of not more 

 than three or four feet with a clay subsoil or stone which must have natural 

 drainage. The clay subsoil must not come nearer to the surface than ten 

 or twelve inches while bed rock ought not, at the very least, be nearer than 

 twenty inches. So qualified, sandy soils are ideal soils for peaches in 

 New York. Some of the best peach-lands in the State are exceedingly 

 stony, the stones being no detriment except in making the land difiicult 

 to till. 



