Mr. A. B. French 
THINK of IT I 
— GROWER •' 
PRESS OF NATION 
VERIFIES STORY of 
'itxfuf- (jfr 
I N the summer of 1925 Donald Byers was 
traveling in the fruit belt of northern Ohio. 
While passing along the northernmost sec¬ 
tion of this area, Byers encountered a farmer 
and fruit grower, who told him of o seedling tree 
growing on his property which he called a "sure 
cropper." Byers, who hod been developing new 
peach varieties for many years and who was al¬ 
ways on the lookout for particularly hardy types, 
was interested in the farmer's story of his peach 
tree. The horticulturist's interest rose when he 
learned the tree was growing on a piece of land 
close to the cold, wind-swept shore of Lake Erie. 
Byers returned to the farm several times dur¬ 
ing the course of that season to watch the tree 
bear. The appearance of a remarkobly fine type 
of fruit together with the tree's heavy bearing 
characteristics prompted Byers to obtain several 
Mr. D. S. Byers buds for the purpose of testing and observation. 
He proceeded to propagote the tree by means 
of the buds taken from the original tree. Two 
of the trees osexually produced, as described, were sent to the Ohio Agri¬ 
cultural Experiment Station, at Wooster, Both trees were received there and 
planted in the experimental orchard. This was in the spring of 1927. 
The trees went through their first real trial during the summer of 1930 
when a memoroble drought wos experienced in this port of the country. 
Although the two trees were only three years old, they came through un¬ 
damaged. Other older trees suffered during this dry spell. In 19^, when 
the trees were only five years old, the State records show they each yielded 
two and a half bushels. The fruit harvested is described in these records 
as being "large, to above large in size, and of fine quality." 
Nothing unusual happened, or was observed, ■" ■ 
Hardee trees until the winter of 193 
dropped to the phenomenal low of 18 
connection with the 
apparent that the standard and well-known varieties would bear lightly, if 
at all. Late in April both Hardee trees burst forth in full blossom. The bloom 
was large and very showy, resembling the bloom of Carmen. Only six of the 
83 trees under test indicated they would come through with full crops. 
Following the spring of 1934, come the most extraordinary drought ex¬ 
perienced in this country for many years. Despite this failure of normal 
rainfall, Hardee survived the ordeal and developed in a normal manner. The 
tree growth was termed "good" during this abnormal period. By autumn the 
fruit was so thick on both trees that the men in charge of the station decided 
to thin it. This was done and when the fruit ripened early in September 
bumper crops were harvested. 
Hardee is now being propagated by buds se¬ 
cured from the 2 famous test trees at Wooster, 
Ohio, to insure the some hardy strain. This 
propagation is being carried on under the per¬ 
sonal direction of Don S. Byers, its developer, 
at the French Nurseries at Clyde, Ohio. Mr. 
Byers is a third generation nurseryman, and a 
grandson of the late A. B. French—founder of 
The French Nurseries established in 1 863, Be¬ 
cause of the splendid soil and climatic condi¬ 
tions of this section of the Great Lakes area, 
Clyde, Ohio, and the French Nurseries have 
been long noted for the fine quality of peach 
trees grown and shipped. In this "garden spot" 
the peach trees develop a strong vigorous root 
system and a sturdy top growth. In all United 
States, there is no finer land for the production 
of strong healthy peach trees. 
In the crucial veor this tree was tested by 
impartial scientists at Wooster, no less than 83 
new varieties were subjected fo the same ex¬ 
tremes of temperature. In his letter of July 
26, 1934, Dr. Shoemaker says: "Easily the out¬ 
standing sort this yeor in comparison with our 
large number of peach varieties. Your Hardee 
has withstood the cold of lost winter which was 
18 below zero and our 2 trees of it are bearing 
a full crop this year. In foct, we considered it 
odvisoble to thin the peaches on these 2 trees. 
Fortunate indeed would be the grower this yeor 
with a crop of peaches such as we have on our 
Hardee trees. In addition to the Hardee, 5 or 
6 other varieties from the New Jersey Experi¬ 
ment Station, are the only ones bearing a good 
crop this year out of 83 varieties. In compari¬ 
son with these other hordy varieties, which 
hove their good points, I would think your 
HARDEE possesses by far the best commercial 
possibilities. Hordee is distinctly a new peach 
variety." (Dr. Shoemaker's letter). 
HARDEE TRIUMPH 
The story of the granting of the potent by the 
United Stotes Government to Donald S. Byers giv¬ 
ing him 17 years of absolute protection on the 
Hardee, cold resisting peoch, was carried by more 
than 500 newspapers and magazines throughout 
the country. 
HARDEE 
PEACH 
IMPORTANT: None 
genuine without this 
Trode-Morked Lobel 
Actual photograph of Hardee fruit. The fruit is described by the Ohio Stote 
authorities os being "lorge to above lorge. The fruit is slightly elongated and 
choracteristically pointed. It is an Elberta type, ripening with Elberta and a little 
later. It is yellow, freestone, highly colored end with firm flesh of the best 
quolity.'^ Its thick skin makes it an excellent shipper. The flovor of the fruit is 
distinct ond delicious. It has o very reol peach flavor. The tree habit and vigor 
of growing is good indeed and mo'' be classed os intermediote between Elberta 
ond'j. H. Hole. 
The KRIOER NURSERIES, Inc. MMdlcbury Ind. 
^ i 
A. P. HORSE COMPANY. HORTICULTURAL PRINTERS. ST. JOSEPH. MICH. 
