THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
216 
Mr. Batchelor drew attention to the desirability of 
discouraging the introduction of varieties in a haphazard 
way. He suggested that a score card should be devised 
with which to test all new kinds offered to the trade. 
These varieties should be passed upon by a special com¬ 
mittee whose duty it should be to consider quality and 
value as well as the question of nomenclature. The 
committee on nomenclature was authorized to study col¬ 
lections at Mr. B. H. Farr’s, at Cottage Gardens Nursery- 
Company and at Cornell for the purpose of hastening the 
work. 
The principal prize winners were Mr. B. H. Farr, 
Reading, Pa. and Mr. Peterson, New Jersey. 
The following officers were elected: 
Hon. President, C. W. Ward; President, B. H. Farr, 
Reading, Pa.; Secretary, A. H. Fewkes, Newton Highlands, 
Mass.; Treasurer, J. H. Humphreys, Chestnut Hill, Pa. 
PAPERS AND ADDRESSES 
Among the more important addresses were those of S. C. 
Moon, Morrisville, Pa., Dr. L. H. Bailey, Cornell University, 
Ithaca, N. Y., Dr. W. H. Jordan, Experiment Station, 
Geneva, N. Y. and Mr. L. A. Berckmans, Augusta, Ga. 
Mr. Moon’s paper deserves the most careful reading. In it 
he talked in a discriminating way on the values of ever¬ 
green conifers. This paper will bear careful study. 
Under the head of the “science point of view,” Dr. Bailey 
presented a philosophic discussion of the changing attitude 
of man towards his surroundings. He believed that the 
opportunity for the nurserymen to hasten the coming of a 
saner outlook towards country life was large and important. 
Dr. Jordan’s address was a plea on behalf of Experi¬ 
ment Station investigators for larger opportunity to con¬ 
duct continuous and consecutive research work. 
COMMERCIAL PEACH ORCHARDING 
L. A. Berckman, Augusta, Ga. 
To make a financial success of commercial peach orcharding 
requires much work, both mental and physical. The man must be 
a good tiller of the soil, should understand plant life, know how to 
kill bugs, and fight to a finish those insidious and invisible atoms of 
destruction known as microbes and fungous germs; he must have a 
good business head; and I have known occasions when he must be 
somewhat of a politician. Therefore, to reach the point of success 
worked for, the peach orchardist must be a man of various qualifica¬ 
tions. 
Soil and Location. 
The two first important points to be considered are soil and 
location. 
It is generally conceded that a sandy loam with a porous red clay 
subsoil within 18 to 24 inches of the surface is the ideal soil for a 
peach orchard; however, there are many profitable orchards upon 
some rather heavy clays and some on deep and drifting sands. 
.In selecting the site for the orchard; always have in view the 
fact that the elevated areas are the most desirable. These catch 
every movement of the air and are therefore drier; and the fruits on 
these exposed points will frequently escape that bugbear of the 
orchardist—the late spring frost—whereas the fruit in the lower and 
protected sections will be frozen. By elevated areas I do not mean 
to convey the idea that these shall be small hills; but elevated, ex¬ 
posed, and well drained plateaus; another great advantage in favor 
of such location is that the fruit will ripen much more uniformly 
thereby enabling the orchardist to harvest the crop in a shorter 
period and more economically. In the peach belt of the South, I 
have never noticed any material difference in the exposure; except 
where sheltered by woods, and this is a decided disadvantage, as in 
such locations spring frosts are usually more destructive;' but in 
the colder regions a northern exposure is generally the best; due to 
the fact that this northern exposure will in a measure retard the 
blooming period. 
In the Michigan peach belt, orchards adjacent to the lake 
bloom later than those a short distance removed from the influence 
of the icy air of the water; but in the peach belt of the South; it is 
injudicious to set a peach orchard near a lake or pond, the liability 
to spring frosts and attacks of brown rot is far greater than to an 
orchard at a distance from water. 
Preparation of thf. Soil. 
If the land is fresh and has just been cleared, it should be culti¬ 
vated at least two years in some crop adapted to the locality. In 
preparing the land, I would emphasize the importance of removing 
stumps, roots, and other debris, as this impedes cultivation; and 
furthermore are harboring places for insects and other pests. 
Should this new land be too rich for peaches, the fertility could be 
reduced by planting it in corn or some other exhaustive crop for a 
year. However, if it is old and worn out, it should be restored to a 
state of fertility before setting out the trees. The land should be 
broken up to the proper depth with a two-horse plow. If necessary, 
follow with a subsoil plow; sow in crimson clover or cowpeas, or 
plant potatoes or some other crop which will require some fertiliza¬ 
tion. In early winter turn under the cover crop. Excellent 
results have been derived from the following treatment. 
After the land has received the proper plowing and subsoiling, 
broadcast or drill in peas in May, using one bushel to the acre and 
an application of 300 to 400 pounds of good fertilizer to the acre will 
materially increase the growth. When this cover crop is matured, 
break up the vines by running over with a cutaway harrow, then 
turn under with a two-horse turnplow. Now as the depth of the 
soil has been increased, the land can be plowed to a greater depth 
than the previous plowing; subsoiling it if necessary, and in the 
autumn of the second year your land is read}' - for the orchard. I 
cannot too strongly emphasize the necessity of deeply and thoroughly 
plowing peach lands, because after the trees are planted and are in 
growth the ground cannot be plowed deeply. Should there be any 
sections in the orchard where the topsoil has been washed away, 
these areas must receive careful and special attention. Such places 
being devoid of humus it must be replaced by a liberal application of 
stable manure or compost; and should be put in peas or clover. In 
two years’ time, by treating as above mentioned, these depleted areas 
can be restored to a state of fertility. 
Planting 
Having now arrived at the planting period—which is best done 
in the fall, so soon as the trees are thoroughly matured—although 
planting can be done safely during the winter, any time when the 
ground is not too wet or frozen. 
The land should be cross sectioned and two foot holes dug at 
the intersections. 18 by 18 feet is the favorite distance; but in 
heavy soils increase the distance. When digging the hole throw the 
top soil to one side, use a liberal amount of well decomposed stable 
manure to each hole and have this thoroughly incorporated with 
the soil. If stable manure is not available, then use from one to two 
pounds of bone meal, or the same quantity of a mixture of two parts 
pure bone meal to one part of cotton seed meal. When using 
chemical fertilizers, the best results are obtained by first setting the 
tree in the hole, then fill up the hole one half its depth, apply the 
fertilizer, but mix it thoroughly with the soil, firm the earth well 
about the roots of the tree and level off. The tree should be set in 
the hole about two inches lower than it originally stood in the 
nursery row. 
Always make a map of the orchard and let this show the number 
and varieties of trees. 
