Smyrna times., 1880-05-05
The Peach in Pennsylvania.

At late meeting of the Delaware Pa
County Institute of Science at West Chester.
VIM. q. Burke made the following remarks
On the cultivation of the peach in that
State:
" have just been reading the culture
and diseases OF the peach, by.John Rutter,
and | am convinced that this small book
dlscloses source of profits to farmers far
more eligible than the cultivation of tobac-
CO. Mr.. X. proposes the opening of IL new
business Tor the counties OF Delaware,
Chester, Lancaster, Montgomery, Bucks
ana Berks, which would make us indepen-
dent OF other States, save us millions of
dollars, and produce better fruit than we
can obtain from distant orchards where il
has to be picked in an unripe condition.
Pears may be taken Off in an unripe con-
dition and ripen satisfactorily. Apples also
will ripen oil the trees, but to have peaches
In the best condition they must ripen on
the trees, and reach market before they
lose their delicious flavor Mr.. Rutter has
been especially successful with the beach
and this book gives the result Of his valua.
bic experience. 1t appears plain that our
careless neglect OF peach trees, resulting in
almost unlterm failure, should not prevent
us from going into careful and systematic
culture. After years of experience plant
ing orchards in Delaware State, in Chester
and Delaware counties, and in Maryland,
he is clearly of opinion that We, in this
part of Pennsylvania, may succeed much
better than in any other State further
South. Mr.. r. has studied the cultivation
OF the peach in every State from New
York to Florida, and in every variety of
soil and climate. Many peach trees are
destroyed by the peach borer, many are
annoyed by insects in the bark, or amongst
the leaves, but these enemies are either
insignificant or are easily pxtirpated. The
one great enemy of the peach in this State
Is the yellows, which has been serious an.
noyance and has proved the great draw
back 10 its cultivation. This disease be.
came formidable in the beginning of the
century, and was described and even named
by Judge Peters in 1906. He did not an
pear to be aware of the true nature of the
disease, but he noticed that it was increased
by twOsuccesslVe rainy seasons. He thought
1t originated in some atmospheric taint but
he alludes to the assertion of Sir joseph
Banks that parasitic fungi are the cause.
| The best vegetable physiologists of the
present day confirm the correctness of the
theory Of Sir Joseph Banks. Empirical
overcome the disease, and instead Of ,cien.
titic experiment farmers were advised to
abandon the cultivation and turn their at
tention to things mUre certain and equally
profitable. Mr. Rutter has been untiring
In his study Of this fatal disease Occa.
slonally trees from nurseries are affected
with 1t, and II single tree should develop
1t, others near may soon be diseased, either
from proximity or from being innoculated
by the knife used in trimming the sickly
one. This publication will enable anv one
to 60 into the cultivation with certainty of
success, provided he takes such an interest
In the business as it deserves and will richly
repay. The legislature Of Michigan has
gwen the peach growers an act to prevent
the spread of the disease, compelling the
eradication of all trees from the orchard.
when they present the first appearance OF
disease Mr.. Rutter asserts positively that
peaches can be grown in this State on a
scale commensurate with the demands of
our cities and towns, in orchard culture, in
larger quantities than they are now, or can
be raised in the most favored districts of
Delaware or Maryland, and can be sent
INTO our markets in better condition and
at much larger profit Any person who
Will follow strictly the advice given by Mr.
AeuItcE Will Oe certain OF success unless an
occasional adverse season should DESTROY
the fruit. an event not likely to occur so
frequently as in Delaware, Maryland, or
other States further south. The means re-
CURED are neither onerous nor costly
Lime is essential to success; ashes where it
can be obtained, is very beneficial, but the
Indian corn grown among the trees will
pay all the cost Of fertilizers and cultiva.
ton, until the trees come into bearing. In
Mr.. Rutter's experience he found that
peaches were often sent from Maryland
without profit, sometimes with actual loss,
while taking consecutive number of years
the advantage in favor Of the crops raised
near West Chester was fully so per cent,
and the profits were vastly greater; yet the
Maryland experiment was made but $50
nailes south Of West Chester. With the
exception Of the early strawberry crop of
Maryland, the peach crops of this State
were the most profitable Of any crops he
ever raised. In planting orchards, he has
tried various exposures and soils, and finds
none unsuted but undrained marsh land.
A high northern exposure will succeed
most frequently"