32 
PLANT AN ASSORTMENT OF PEACHES 
A Properly Developed Peach Orchard 
our exportations alone represented over $1,000,000. It is estimated that we 
produced 9,000,000 bushels of this fruit from 8,000,000 trees and it is safe to say 
that these figures do not represent more than 85% of our peach crop for that 
year, the balance being used for home consumption. 
The California Peach Growers Association represents 6,000 growers, it is 
incorporated for $1,000,000, and now controls 85% or more of the tonnage sold 
on the market. Since this Association has been formed, grades have been 
standardized and prices have been obtained which have been remunerative to 
the grower and gives an impetus to the planting of new acreage. 
The peach thrives in all parts of California with the exception of the higher 
altitudes in the mountainous districts. The San Joaquin Valley is particularly 
adapted to their culture and more than half the peach acreage of the state is 
planted in that district. 
The trees do best on well-drained, sandy loam and white ash soils. If 
planted on heavy soils, care must be taken to have it well drained. The so* 
called “hard-pan lands,” if properly blasted allowing the roots to extend into 
the deep, free soil below, produces fruit of the finest quality and the trees are 
very prolific. Such land is usually rough and requires leveling before planting. 
It is always advisable to have the land well plowed and harrowed before 
planting. When the trees are set, cut them back to 18 inches from, the top oi 
the ground and shorten in all lateral branches, if any, to two buds. 
The first winter after planting cut away all branches up to 12 inches from 
the ground and leave from three to five branches to form the head of the tree 
and prune these back to 12 inches. These framework branches should be dis¬ 
tributed on the trunk of the tree to prevent crowding and development of 
forks. Forked trees, when loaded with fruit, are liable to split down and ruin 
or entirely kill the tree. 
The second winter thin out the small lateral branches leaving not more than 
two or three on each of the framework branches and cut these back about one- 
half. This system can be followed each year but thinning of lateral branches 
must be resorted to in order to prevent smothering the inside of the tree. 
As a rule, peaches are set from 20 to 24 feet apart. On very light, sandy 
soils set the trees 20 feet apart, but on loam and heavier soils 22 to 24 feet is 
preferable. 
The trees in favored localities begin bearing the fourth or fifth year and at 
six years begin to bear profitable crops of fruit. 
Peaches are divided into two classes, viz., Freestones and Clingstones. Some 
of the very early varieties of the freestones cling slightly to the pit, which, 
however, is not an objectionable feature. The freestone varieties are used for 
canning, drying and shipping, while the clingstones are principally used for 
canning and shipping. The freestones best suited for canning are Foster, El- 
berta, Lovell and Salway; those for drying are Elberta, Muir and Lovell. 
One of the most important points in peach culture is the proper thinning of 
the fruit. Unless this is faithfully performed the fruit will be undersized and 
this overproduction will sap the vitality of the tree. Thin the fruit- so that 
it will not be less than 4 to 6 inches apart and the result will be a fine mer¬ 
chantable product that will command the best price on the market. 
Note. —For the convenience of our customers Clingstone varieties are so 
designated in the name of each, i. e., Tuscan Cling, Phillips Cling, etc. All 
other varieties not so marked are Freestones. 
