The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-10-12
Written for The Florida Agriculturt%.
Peach Lore.
BY HELEN HARCoURT. !
CONTINUED from page 1861

young trees on our own
(Sumter county,, and they mostly,
exhibit vigorous, healthy growth
but not having fruited yet, we are
unable to say more OF them at press
emf.
North and West Florida "Briggs
Nav" and Wilder haveysucceeded ex-
cellently, and so far as we can Judge
from the appearance OF these varieties
on our own grounds, we believe they
are we'll suited to South Florida Also
These are all foreign varieties" hut
there are a few native peachcs,-oo
tanned from pits planted from Flori>
da grown fruit, that are worthy OF
our best attention and care.
One of these is Beach's Periodical,
astrong, healthy growing tree bear
ing large fine favored fruit from
Julv to September-the very months
when other fruits are scarce, and our
marched throats crave their refresh
ing juices.
Another is the May peach, ripen-
ing the last OF May or first OF June,
and vet another, called the Novem'
Der, furnishes ripe fruit, of best quail
ity, in October and November; these
kinds are offered by one OF yoor
well known nurserymen, and another
introduces TO our notice the follow
ing, all natives of Florida or South
ern Texas; Pennies Free, large, fine
favored peach ripening IN July;
Bankman's Free,-also large, and
good, pertecting the middle OF Au'
gust; Onderdonk's Favorite, large,
yellow, juicy July peach, and Cab
ler's Indian, cling s:one OF large
size, ripening also in July, aud with
the popularity of purple or reddish
flesh, whence, we presume, its name
of "Indian".
Thus we see that any fruit grower
of Florida may, by judicious selec'
ton of varieties, secure full supply
of this delicious fruit during, at least,
seven months Got the year, these
months too, covering a period when
this Fl nit brings almost fabulous pri>
ces in the cities north OF us.
In short, we need here in Florida,
but to set out peach orchards, as we
set out Grange groves, and give them
as much attention, to obtain another |
source of income just as generous
and reliable as our much Wanted
golden fruit, yielding too, a larger
sum per acre, tor while one hundred
and eight is the largest number of
orange trees permissible to an acre,
peach-growers, placing their trees
fifteen by fifteen feet, nave space for
one hundred and ninety>three trees.
And now let us pass on to that |
most important consideration, the
proper care of the peach tree.
First of all, in setting out the trees,
let the hole be well spaded, raised in
the center, with hole for the tap
root,-and large enough to admit of
the roots being spread out as nature
intended them to be; don't crowd
them in a bunch on one side, or
against the stem, that is a slovenly
method, and unworthy OF an inteIli.
gent being; they need 10 cover all
the ground they can, to procure food
enough tor their foster parent; then,
the roots spread out carefully, and
to do this, you must ''stoop to con-
quer," throw the earth carefully ups
on them, TILL the hole Is half filled,
then raise a bucket of water as high |
as you conveniently can, and pour
half OF 1t down around the stem;
this will pack the earth around the
tender routlets much better than the
hand could do It,-you will see this
by the way the soil washes down;
put on more earth, then ponr on the
rest Of the water, shaking the tree
gently as it settles; this done, scatter
a handful:of salt around the base of