The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-09-04
HOW PEACHES ARE PICKED.
A Spring Prophecy-The June Drop
Train After Train Loaded.

A Spring Propheey-The June Drop
Train After Train Loaded.
New York Woridl
From Wilmington, Del, down the en- tire
length Of the peninsula the peach grows as
naturally as corn, and there are few farm
ers near railroads or water-courses who
have not orchards Of greater or less extent
Some peaches are already being shipped to
the northern markets, but the most impor-
tant shipments are yet to come. Every one
loves a nice, ripe, juicy peach, and the ex-
tent Of the crop and consequent price OF the
peaches becomes therefore q matter Of uni
versal interest
Every spring as regularly as the years
roll round the prophecy goes forth that late
frosts have killed the buds and that there
will be no peaches the following summer.
and though there Is frequently some danger
Of this being true, nearly every summer
proves the falsity Of the prophecy. The
trees send forth their blossoms very early in
the spring. and these tender little flowers
are very susceptible to the influence Of cold.
1t Is on this account that every little sudden
springs are liable, calls forth the most
lugubrious predictions from the grumblsrs
Another element Of uncertainty in any
early estimates Of the crop IL what Is
called the 1June drop" At the first ap-
proach Of warm weather the trees begin
to take on q redder hue, and soon the
little pink blossoms begin TO burst forth.
more coming each day, until the vast
orchards present q complete blaze Of glory
with their coverings Of pink and white bios
SONS, and here and there a green leaf
thrusting its pointed nose wherever 1t can
find an opening. The appearance Of large
pink orchard In full bloom has been the
cause Of frequent remark by all who ever
saw one.
As the blossom withers and falls of the
minute, pale green peach Is left hanging Ia
its place, and IL no late frosts have destroyed
the germs the number OF these little peaches
is almost equal to the number of blossoms.
Should they all, or near all mature, no tree
wouli be strong enough to bear its load, and
the consequence woull be the splitting of
of every limb before the peaches had at
tanned half their sig. Here Dame Nature
steps In TO ad jut matters. and during the
month Of June. when the fruit begins to as
sumo its well. known form and color, the
trees are relieved OF their surplus load. AMI
all that can not b conveniently carried
drop to the ground. This Is what Il called
the "June drip"
Soon the fields will be swarming with hui
man beings mount ID on step-ladders, boxes.
barrels and every thing available, plucking
the fruit for their city customers. Even
the tramp" other wise u'eless member
Of society-is pre- sed into service. and he
works with vi n and energy he Is never
known to use on any other occasion. Train
after train will he loaded, and all day and
all night they will follow one another in
rapid succession on their way to northern
markets. OF course, the destiny Of most Of
this fruit will be New York, which Is the
great market If the country for everything.
The steamboats, plying up the Maryland
rivers will, however, carry much Of 1t to
Baltimore, which city, on account Of its
numerous canning establishments. Is for
midable rival OF New York as q peach
market
Local cannerie' also use large quantities
of them, and the evaporators are becoming
quite generally introduced. The picking
and packing Of the peach crop gives en-
ployment to thousands Of hands and at
quite remunerative wages. The canneris'
and evaporators require many hands, as
well as the growers, and thus all available
labor In used at thi. season Frequent com
plants Of the search y Of help is heard.
Fruit and vegetable raising Is rapidly con-
verting this section into veritable garden,
producing in abundance everything to
tempt the appetite Of even an epicure.