The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-07-07

dressed on the outside and h,r;,
the inside corners Of Stats br "ElNs
Such a crate neatly NADIA (tbe Shen.
material roughly put togetbprr iiest
botchl and packed as above ;ss
Gated with fine peaches is beautrnQI ,
look at-"good for SORE eyes1' %
also good for the shippers moan aAd
[ would not think of using any cnss
but one made Of dressed stuiY l,a'e
for the commonest peaches We s Itl
The slight difference in cost IS m pu'p'
than compensated by the incra aoIe
price. [ an referring now mo"
particularly to New York. For fUle
market it always pays to pnt viz, ii II
produce of any kind neatly and up
tractively-New Workers want at at,
fruit nicely put up, and are wili"ss
to, pay handsomely for it. In Sonny
other markets appearance is not ny
important an item but prices sr ro
always in proportion to the exactinc
conditions of the market.
Last season we made the eynor;
ment of shipping in IL and, IS p6nnd
baskets, with the most satisfactorr
results, and shall continue to u;0
them in future for the finer grades
Fancy peaches we wrapped a 10
orange, but whilst dealers seemed ~
prefer them thus treated. am MT
quite satisfied that it will paw as .
general thing. A one-third busbaI
crate very neatly made of ligbt
dressed materials gave good results
as a substitute for baskets but was
more expensive. None but realIv
fine peaches however should be put
in baskets or fancy packages of any
kind as any attempt to, palm off in.
ferior fruit in this or AMY other man.
ner will surely result in ultimate
disaster to the shipper, especially if
wrapping is resorted he must be.
ware Of putting in anything that
will lower the average quality of
fruit.
Though not strictly included un.
der the subject given me-, | wish to
say a few words relative to thinning
the trees-it is Of greater importance
than is generally conceded. All ad-
NIT that it will tend to enlarge the
average size of the fruit left on the
tree, but in addition to that | am
satisfied it materially lessons the
drain on the life Of the tree. Nature
works to perpetuate and Therefore
the maturing of seed is the great
business of the season with her. The
pulp offruit which we want in great
est perfection is merely incidental
in natures economy but as whether
she must mature LOO or 800 peach
pits on n tree is very material to
It's vitality. This is a well known
fact as regards flowers and plants
and applies to fruit trees as well
If, therefore, we can get the same
weight Of pSlp in better shape on
one-third or O%ne-fourth the number
Of pits, we n gamers and the tree
also. What fruit is taken off must
be. removed before the pit hardens
to be of much advantage.
MIR. Robert Watson, of Ridge
Spring, S. c., is eminently successful
in raising fine peaches. In the first
place he prunes so severely every
winter that a novice would say "that
man is running his trees" whilst the
experienced fruit grower catching
the idea like a fash, will exclaim,
swell, that is what / call intelligent
pruningI" Further, he thins out
his peaches until no two are less than
three inches apart. That man had
nothing but fancy peaches last sea-
son, realized as high as SIS per
bushel and cleared $4,000 from eight
acres.
| forgot to say, in the proper con,
n%ection, that all rotten or speckea
fruit should be picked daily. Every
peach that rots ON the tree does 1t
injury.
Before closing this article let me ada
a few words in behalf Of the North
Carolina Fruit Growers Association.
Although it has been in existence but
a few years, has not many members
(and some of those only nominally)I
it has accomplished good work anu
if fruit men all over the State would
give it the support it deserves anu
manifest but a small part Of the III,
terest in it's work that they shoulu
feel and not stand back and see
few men do the work whilst they
reap their share of the benfits there