Middletown transcript., 1881-06-24
About Peaches.


Mr.. EDITOR Dear Sir:-A friend has han
ded me a copy Of your paper of the issue OF
April Sth last in which notice an article un-
der the caption of Mr.. Townsend on the
Peach and signed by that gentleman. His
object in writing seemed to be to hit some
mythical Middletown peach grower pretty
hard for advancing the opinion that black
spots i'll the heart OF peach bearing buds did
but little harm to the coming crop of fruit.
Though the opinion is beneath the dignity OF
public answer it seems to have been con
venient introduction to let the public know
that Ito use his own language) when the
cold weather set in he had controversy with
that bigoted nurseryman at West Chester,
John Rutter, about the cultivation of peach
trees, diseases and bearing. and about what
cold the peach buds could stand. l stated
zero was too cold, four or five degrees below
would kill the greater part of the crop, that
from eight to fifteen degrees below, for two
or three days would kill all exposed buds and
badly injure the trees. 1t just happens that
| there has been just such winter to test
whether Rutter or 1 was right. And how
do they look to-day? Dead dead! and every
day proves what stated three months ago."
| should like very much to keep our old
friend Townsend straight, not only on the
subject of that fatal disease in the tree " the
yellows, ,but as well on the capability of the
bearing buds to resist cold of a low tempera-
ture which is so seldom experienced in old
Appoquinimink hundred. To meet Mr.. T.'s
triumphant conclusion in the article referred
to, that every day proves what he stated
three months ago, p" will merely state that |
coming county, Pa, some miles from Will
Transport, on the West branch OF the SusQue-
hanna river, amid the hills and bluffs, at the
very foot of the AlleghanieS, where the mer-
curry ON these bluffs marked the past winter
thirty to thirty-two degrees below zero, and
from these localities brought with me spec
linen branches from old bearing peach trees
in open culture, four hundred feet above the
river level, overloaded with young fruit
which you will see on the branches | have
mailed you. The farm from which obtained
them contains some thirty to fifty trees, per-
haps in different exposures, and all showing
an over crop, and this is general over the
neighborhood and other farms. have Just
set out on this farm LOCO trees with bright
expectations based on the assurances of fruit
growers. The peach crop there excited no
wonder or curiosity, and therefore peach
crop and winter temperature of thirty de.
grees below zero is not remarkable
coincidence. If were to stop Just here not
only Mr. 7. but the entire public would at
once inquire how should reconcile the fail
qFe of the Delaware and Maryland crops
under temperature of twelve to fourteen
degrees below zero with full crop at the
foot of the mountains of Pennsylvania under
winter temperature of thirty degrees below.
1t is pretty certain from the specimens send
you that the fact is settled that peach trees in
FennsylYania Will stand temperature of
thirty degrees below zero, grow, flourish and
produce heavy crops of fruit In open field
culture under favorable circumstances and
such was the condition of these trees in the
fall and commencement of winter. Here l
venture to say that almost every ohservant
peach grower Is ready to eoncede that such
was not the condition of the trees here or on
the Peninsula of Delaware and MARYLAND at
the approach of winter; of here about West
Chester and Chester county l can speak more
particularly. Every bearing peach bud was
Yisibly swollen. caused by the pleasant genial
weather, with just sufficient humidity to
cause the trees to start before winter, which
Is sometimes the case. Every advance of
growth in fall as in winter or in spring, in
creases, the size of the embryo fruit and rem
ders It more susceptible to cold and freezing
temperature, We so seldom have the Deach
destroyed IN Eastern Pennsylvania or on the
peninsula, in midwinteP, with our ordinary
temperature, that we consider. in common
winters, all is safe until late tFosts about
blooming time, and full starting of the tree
Is seldom observed. When the tree is in
bloom. fully exposed, it takes but little frost
to destroy the fruit while in dormant state
through winter it takes over thirty degrees
leloW sepo to destroy it, and in its interme-
dlate stages up to blooming, the Obstructive
point of temperature diininfshes. A tree in
its normal condition going into winter
quarters, 1t seems will resist in its bearing
buds thirty degrees at least below zero
when in what we may call an abnormal con.
dition, or partially started in full growth
it may not stand a temperature in winter of
ten degrees below. This advanced condition
of trees here and south Of us, rendered them
susceptible to severe freezing and If the I.y.
coming county trees had gone into the win
ter in the same condition, the crop WouId
have shared the same fate. The earlier the
starting of the vital energies of the tree to-
ward blooming, the more uncertain is the
crop from the varying phases of the winter
and spring. Mr.. Townsends article on
peaches sheds but little light on the subject
OF temperature, it is all "ipse dirif' as his
controversy referred to on the i'yelqWs" in
the tree. should like to know under what
rule (but as Mr.. T. does not deal or argue
Pqqer rules, can't expect his Information is
from any such qQarter) or on what state Of
mt 5aefs 4e east 9gtess94s the strength Of peach
West Chester, Pa, June 18th, Iasi, ''pffSH'