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M'Alisterville, Juniata Co., Pa., Sept. 9, '87

Erwin F. Smith, Esq.,

Dear Sir:

We send you to-day two packages of peach pits. The
The trees which produced these seed were purchased at one of
the West Chester Nurseries and planted in the spring of 1884,
In sandy ground on a ridge with southern slope and exposure.
Planted one thousand trees and gave them good cultivation
and kept off worms.  Trees did [?good] growing and will produce
about 750 crates of peaches this year (seven-eights bushel
crates).  About thirty of these trees showed disease by premature
ripening, Commencing as early as the first of August.
Varieties Smocks and Late Crawfords. Late Crawfords ripen
here about the tenth of September and Smocks about the fifteenth,
when healthy.

These premature peaches are free seeded with us as you
will notice by looking at seeds.

We will remove diseased trees root and branch unless
you will come to see us this fall and would prefer to see some
of them in the ground.  In that case we will let a few stand.

Yours &c.,

Smith & Bro.
        