FRUITS OJ WEST VIRGINIA, KENTUCKY. AND TENNESSEE. 57 



The season of ripening is another important factor in the choice 

 of a variety. Most orchardists in this area prefer to start with 

 varieties coming into season after the Elberta crop of Georgia has 

 been disposed of. Neither the white-fleshed nor the yellow-fleshed 

 sorts ripening as early as the Elberta in Georgia sell readily. Thus. 

 the season usually commences with the Elberta in the southern part 

 of the area, with the Carman and Champion a little farther north, 

 and with the Carman in northern West Virginia. Following the Car- 

 man most orchardists grow a succession of varieties in order to 

 furnish steady work for a definite number of men. In the Potomac 

 Valley section of West Virginia this list covers the period until 

 cold weather. In the other sections the Elberta usually ends the 

 season. 



Excepting certain important varieties earlier than the Elberta. 

 or varieties grown for some particular reason, white-fleshed peaches 

 have been omitted from the following list of those characterized. 

 Brief mention, however, is made of a few varieties that are grown to 

 a limited extent which may be adapted to the local market or to 

 home use. 



COMMERCIAL VARIETIES OF PEACHES. 



Beers Smock. 



The Beers Smock is a yellow-fleshed freestone variety of poor dessert quality 

 very similar to the Smock, but which matures slightly earlier and is larger. 

 It ripens just before the Salwey, is slightly later than McCollister, Edge- 

 mont. Stevens, and Fox. and is considered the standard variety of its season 

 in the upper Potomac Valley section. Formerly more Smock trees were found 

 than Beers Smock, but in new orchards the latter variety is being set almost 

 exclusively. 



Belle. Synonym : Belle of Georgia. 



The Belle is a white-fleshed, firm, freestone peach which is becoming the 

 standard variety in all regions of this area for the period immediately before 

 the Elberta and just after the Champion, usually overlapping the season of 

 both. It is grown a little in the East Tennessee Valley region and is found 

 in several commercial orchards of the eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. 

 The fruit is medium sized on shale soils. It is usually highly colored and is 

 considered a good shipping variety. It is one of the best varieties for home 

 canning, ranking next to Champion. 

 Bilyeu. 



Although it is a white-fleshed freestone peach, the Bilyeu is extensively 

 planted in the Potomac Valley section in West Virginia, where it is regarded 

 as the only profitable very late peach. It ripens there after the yellow-fleshed 

 varieties have all been picked and is about the last peach from any section to 

 reach the market. It seems to be adapted to both chert and shale soils in 

 this section, but is especially desirable at high altitudes. The fruit is medium 

 to large in size, usually nearly covered with a dull red color, and a good 

 shipping peach. It is sometimes held in cold storage for a month after pick- 

 ing until market conditions are more favorable than at picking time. In this 

 section of West Virginia it is picked usually from October 1 to 15. 

 Carman. 



In' the commercial orchards of the Potomac Valley section and in many indi- 

 vidual orchards of this area the Carman is the first variety to ripen which is 

 extensively planted. It is a medium-sized handsome white-fleshed variety 

 classed as freestone, but it is a semicling under some conditions. It is in- 

 clined to soften on its suture ridge before being ready to pick. Occasionally 

 on the chert soils of the higher altitudes of West Virginia growers prefer the 

 St. John (Yellow St. John), which ripens at the same time, or slightly 

 earlier. Generally, however, the Carman gives satisfaction even on chert s 

 for the tree is more productive than the St. John and the fruit is a . 

 shipper. It is considered the standard variety of its season in all parts of 

 this area. 



