214 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
In conclusion we think a few general 
pointers on fruit might be of service to 
many of our members and to those who 
will subsequently read this paper in the 
published Proceedings of the Society. 
The main business of a fruit tree is 
to produce fruit and not wood, and it is 
up to the grower to see that the fruit 
i$ marketable and salable as well as 
eatable. 
The most important point from a 
market standpoint is high color. Color 
is influenced to great measure by fertil¬ 
izer. Phosphoric acid perfects the for¬ 
mation of seeds, and hastens the matur¬ 
ity of the fruit. Potash gives richness 
of color and helps to build up the fruit. 
But phosphoric acid and potash work 
hand in hand, the former perfecting the 
seed, the latter the fruit or pulp. Ni¬ 
trogen, when used in excess, causes too 
great a growth of leaf and wood at the 
expense of both fruit and color. If 
f?rm-yard or stable manure is applied 
alone to the soil, the fruit will be lack¬ 
ing in color. 
It pays to grow the best in the best 
possible way. 
PEACHES 
Aaron A. Lewis, Kathleen, Fla. 
Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 
A few years ago there was quite an 
interest taken in peach-growing* in Flor¬ 
ida for commercial purposes, especially 
in my home county (Polk), to which 
my paper will be confined. 
The industry has not been very suc¬ 
cessful, in fact, has been very disap¬ 
pointing and in most cases a total fail¬ 
ure. Quite a few are planted yet, each 
season, but not sufficient to create com¬ 
mercial interest, only for home and local 
markets. 
Eternal vigilance is the watchword 
for this consumption, as from one to 
two and sometimes three crops of fruit 
may be realized from one planting be¬ 
fore the tree is dead. 
To keep the home supplied with 
peaches a few should be set each year. 
I have seen vigorous and beautiful trees 
laden with fruit on one side of the yard 
or garden, and dead and dying on the 
other. This can be seen in my garden 
now. The planting of a few trees each 
season is the practice of many of our 
peach growers in order to evade, for a 
short time only, the ravages of the 
dreaded root-knot. 
The question of varieties is about as 
knotty a one as the grower runs into; 
however, like other fruits, the local 
needs and conditions should be tried out 
and plant the variety which best suits 
the locality. The Peen-to, Jewel, Wal¬ 
do, Bidwells Early, and Bidwells Late, 
all have been tried and given fairly 
good results. 
The location and preparation of land 
is so well known I need not say very 
