Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1866-03-31
New wny of Growing Peaches.


The following hints, 10 these days of blasting
frosts, may be turned to good account, as Sug.
gestive of manner Of protection. They are
worthy Of thought and imitation
j. II. Ssnborn of Vandalia, ILL.,, hs,
raised peaches 10 New Hampshire at tbs
rate of 600 bushels per acre, by the follow.
ing system In defence Of the style Of
training detailed below, Mr.. Sanboru says,
that on the vast elevated table lands Of
Western Asia, the natural habiant of the
peach, travellers tell US that the plant that
produces this fruit is Of low, spreading
bu,by form and he believes the yelows
and other diseases that affect the peach re.
suit from the unnatural forcing of the sap
TO the great height 10 which the trees grow
with us.
Early next spring select the north or
west side of hill, especially for early vari
etes, or high dry land plough il deeply,
then take your trees, low tudded or seed
lings (the latter are best and not more
than an inch in diameter, and with a sharp
knife, at one cut, as smoothly as possible,
behead the trees IL TO Is inches from the
collar or surface line, as they stood in the
nursery. Have ready q varnish of O. Q.
fourth pound Of gum sbelac, dissolved in
one pint OF alcohol, and apply coating to
the cut surface. This is very necessary to
prevent The exudation Of gum and sap,
which are needed TO develop new buds
Set up sticks in rows 90 feet apart each
way, 200 TO the acre dig hole at each,
and set in peach stump. Fill 10 the orgi-
nal soil nicely around the roots (using no
water nor manure), until the cart reaches
an inch eboVe its former mark on the tree
after which, if the land is poor, q little we'll
rotted compost may be spread upon the
surface around each tree Proceed now to
sow, broadcast, barrel of salt to every
acre so set ont, letting the principal part
fall within six feet of the trees.
AS now limbs begin 10 grow out, care
mist be taken to keep them parallel with
the surfsce of the earth on no account
allow them to grow upward. If on hill
side, train as many down bill as you can -
As sooD as the limbs are two feet long, pro-
vide small, sharpened sticks, six inches long,
with strings attached drive one under
each limb that tends upward, pass the string
over the limb, drawing it down quite near
the ground, then tie to the stake, forming
loop in which the limb can grow without
injury. Do not suffer any limb to grow
higher than its point Of origin at the trunk
Of the tree. During he summer you have
choice of two forms v hich you can give the
future tree, accordingly as you train the
growing limbs l. The limbs may be
trained horizontally, diverging from the
body of the tree like the spokes of a wheel
from its hub, when lying upon the ground,
allowing side branches fron these main
limbs till the spaces between are filed
2. BY training on opposite sides two large
limbs, each 10 feet lorg, with many paral.
lei side limbs from these two, aud at right
angles with them, all together 10 form,
somewha. resembling the revolving portion
of q wooden horse rake. These should
remain permanent From these parallel
limbs grows the wood every year which is
to bear fruit the following year.
In midsummer this new growth should
be cut bask one-half, which will cause lar
ger aud better fruit. Along the Atlantic
coast sea weed may be spread over the
trees in the fall, or straw as a protection
against severe cold, and will form an admira.
BILE mulch in the summer, also keeping the
fruit from contact with the dirt. Do not
remove this covering in spring until the buds
begin to swell and open underneath. If
there are indications of frost after the trees
are in blossom, they should be covered with
old blankets, quilts, baggng, &c. every
night till the danger is past. Every two
years the orchard should receive a dressing
of salt, in the spring, as directed above,
and every fall good supply of wellrotted
manure that prepared with lime slaked
with salt water is best. Apply oil manure
upon the surface, and keep clear OF weeds
with the hoe. Never use the plough after
the trees are set. 1t is designed the trees
shall cover all The ground except such mar.
row paths as may be necessary for supply.
ing manure and gathering fruit, which may
be done with wheel.barrows. Wherever
tho saline properties of the soil have been
exhausted, the peach tree will not fruit.-
Salt must be supplied either 10 the soil or
by the atmosphere, through the sea breeze.
Very iDe fruit is reported as grown near
Great Salt Lake in Utah.