20 SOUTHERN ORCHARD PLANTINGS 
Alexander is the next to ripen, soon followed by Greensboro and the Arp. Both 
are large fruits with delicious flesh. Carman, Hiley and Belle come next. AU 
of these are of the highest class. Other valuable varieties are Elberta, Red Bird 
Cling, Champion, Chinese Cling, Heath Cling, Salway and Krummell. All these 
are high-quality fruits and will prove excellent sorts for home use. The new J . H. 
Hale Peach is another excellent variety, perhaps the best recent introduction. 
Peach trees will thrive on almost any soil that will raise good standard farm 
crops, but of course the richer the soil, the better will be the reward. In laying 
out the orchard you should take the highest ground, and, if possible, plant where 
the earth slopes to the north or west. If your orcliard is a little higher than the 
surrounding ground, you are £ilmost certain to have good drainage. The trees 
should be set between 15 to 20 feet apart each way, so they will have plenty 
of room to develop and expand. The ground Ix^tween the trees should be kept 
cultivated if you are looking for the l>est results. Plant about three rows of 
cowpeas between the rows of trees and do not cultivate so close as to injure 
the roots, bark the trees, or break the limbs. When the cowpeas arc killed by 
frost, plow them under. They add nitrogen to the soil and make excellent food 
for the growing trees. 
The presence of the Peach-tree borer, perhaps the worst enemy of the Peach 
tree, is indicated by the appearance, at or near the ground line, of a mass of 
jelly or sawdust, or both. In .^pril and May and again in September, hoe away 
the soil from around the tree and examine closely for these signs. With a sharp 
knife cut away the bark exposing the hole and with a flexible wire search for the 
borer, spearing and removing it. A few minutes spent on each tree twice a 
year will thoroughly control this pest. 
Pears 
Pear trees like a fairly good soil and will do well in either clay, loam, or 
gravel. The ground should be well drained, so if you plant your orchard on 
sloping ground, your yield is almost sure to turn out much better. It is not a 
good policy to have your orchard close to a forest on account of the insects. 
There arc several varieties worthy of extensive planting. For home use and 
market we find that Koonce. Scckcl, Le Conte, Kieffer, and Magnolia are the 
most satisfactory and ripen in about the order named. For the home orchard 
rather than for commercial purixjses, the best sorts are Early Harvest, Seckcl, 
and Angouleme. 
Plums 
This is another valuable deciduous fruit, growing over as wide a territory 
as the peach. The tree requires much the same soil and care that should be 
given all fruits, but if there is considerable clay in the soil, better results may 
be expected. The trees should be planted about 18 feet apart each way and 
cowpeas or other crops may be rai.«<cd between the trees. You may also grow 
strawljerries as an intercrop, but if the cowpeas are plowed under after they 
are killed by frost, they will help the trees to grow and make them more I'igorous. 
It is generally conceded by growers that the Japanese varieties and their 
hybrids are by far the best for general i)lanting. In their order of ripening the 
recommended varieties for the home orchard are Red June. -Vbundance. Sat- 
suma, Burbank, and Wickson. All these, with the exception of Satsuma and 
Wickson, are excellent market sorts. Wild Goose is another excellent sort. If 
in doubt about the proper varieties, consult us. 
On account of their heavy bearing characteVistics, many Plum trees are 
greatly injured. Take a look at almost any tree you see in the home orchard; 
in fruiting time you will see the branches bent down to the ground and the 
tree almost staggering under its heavy load of fruit. Many people feel proud of 
