THE peach: 109 



ure, too severe freezing, aud, on the other hand, 

 too early a start. A cold cellar is a safer place, 

 provided it can have some frost and be kept nei- 

 ther too wet nor too dry. Such culture cannot 

 be called profitable, in the iisual sense of the 

 word, but in its influence, and in the satisfac- 

 tion which it gives in yielding complete success 

 against odds, it is fully rewarding. 



In answer to the frequent question whether 

 the peach may ever again be expected to be as 

 certain as in former years, we have to consider 

 that the soil is not virgin ; that the climate is 

 more arid and fluctuating, by reason of the re- 

 moval of the forests, and that the " yellows " and 

 other diseases are more prevalent than formerly. 

 We can renew the exhausted qualities of the 

 soil. We can surround our trees with sheltering 

 belts. We are gradually becoming better ac- 

 quainted with the nature of diseases, and are 

 better able to apply remedies. There is there- 

 fore encouragement to plant, with a good degree 

 of assurance of fair returns. Still, the added 

 liability to winter-killing of the fruit buds, not- 

 withstanding every precaution, will compel us to 

 regard this crop as uncertain. But the conditions 

 vary so much in the different sections of our vast 

 country that any deficiency in one section will 

 be likely to be fully supplied from the super- 



