The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-05-29
PEACH GROWING.
Inc Strange But Glorious Effects
of a Late Freeze.
how Neighbor Simmons Made Discovery
and How He Enjoyed It-Nick
- Willis's Brandy Orchard
From the Griffin, Ga, News.

KIND from another, wherefore he sold them
very cheap, and rs had an old red clay hill
which had never been worth cultivating, con-
cluded to plant it in peaches. Knowing that
they suited the clay soil, was certain had
made good investment. planted the trees
about the middle of October, took great pains
an cultivating them, and. hoped for the best,
not knowing what variety 1 had purchased.
In the spring was greatly surprised, on walk
ing over my orchard, to find that out of the
25O trees there were only very few had died
during the severe winter we had in 1881.
They put out and grew rapidly the following
summer, some of the largest having few
blooms on them, which noticed were much
larger than any peach bloom had ever seen,
and were shaped long like sweet potato
bloom. watched them closely to see what
would come next, and to my disappointment
they all dropped off without producing fruit Of
any kind, but cOnSoled myself, knowing that
the trees were entirely too young to bear fruit
In the spring of 03 the trees budded out very
early, about the middle of February. Just as
the buds were cracking, but not quite open,
we had very cold snap and heavy frost, but
as the buds were net open good l still had
hopes OF very good crop of peaches, or some
thing else for the buds were very long. as they
had been the year before. The cold weather
was soon over and spring had about come, but
strange to say none of the buds had opened. 1
began to wonder, and on examining the trees
found to my surprise that the buds had closed
UP perfectly tight. They didn't drop off. What
could be the matter? There was not a bloom
that spring, but the trees kept on growing
vigorously all the summer, and seemed to do
well until the next spring QSS4.) Instead of
budding out as usual there was not bud, and
no indication of any. began to think the
trouble was in the soil, the red clay, l
should have said; it was too poor, thought,
but this was not all the matter The old red
clay hill was actually becoming moist. I could
not understand it. In the fall you would bog
up almost to your knees i'll mud. The neighbors
all came over and philosophical each one
differently, and got me in a very good notion
TO dig the blasted trees up and burn them.
Neighbor Simmons inquired if had planted
the trees merely for something to do-and
some one else said that 1 was trying to make
swamp on top of a red clay hill. 1t did seem
as if that was my intention, for every fall the
ground would become very wet and boggy
Things went on in very mysterious manner
until last year, when the trouble leaked out.
During wet spell last fall | noticed several
streams spring forth from the hillside among
the peach trees. One of the boldest, l was
glad to see, down through my pasture,
where had never been able to get stream
or spring that would run in dry weather. 1t
was such bold stream that thought it would
he good idea to catch the water, for my cat
tie suffered great deal in dry weather for the
want OF water. had a good dam built and i'll
a few days the pond was full.
The next thing that came into my notice
the hogs had stopped coming up at night for
their corn. This was very unusual and L
couldn't imagine what had come over them.
So walked down through the pasture to see
If could find out the trouble, l had not gone
far before | walked up shoat Of zoo pounds
lying over in gully He only looked as if he
was taking midday nap, SO kicked him i'll
order to wake him up, hut he only responded
with q grunt and did not move walked! ON
a little farther down to the pond, ana what
should see-pigs and hogs OF all sizes lying
al
dead, and others trying to walk with their feet
turned up toward the sun. | had never seen
such q sight before i'll my life. L looked up
into the woods, and what should meet my gaze
but the old gray mare leaning up against tree
nodding her head and the colt cutting capers
that it would be hard to name. L thought at
once that it must be collie, grubs, blind stag
gers, or something of the kind. So 1 went
back to the house, and sent right over for
Neighbor Simmons, who protested to be and
was a very good horse doctor, or at least had
great faith in him. Before many minutes
Simmons came putting up with his shirt bosom
Open and sleeves rolled up.
"Hello, Willis, what is the matter with you
and your set? Jack come er runnin' alike
thar was fire in the woods, and come to find
thar was nothin' the matter but perhaps a lit
tie collie among the ponies. Let's go down and
see them"
We walked down and Simmons first spied
the hogs. "Why, Willis have the hogs got the
grubs, too? The good Lord must er sent a
cuss ON you and your ranch. Willis, believe
shat thar mares got the blind StaggerS, and that
thar poney, II don't know what he's got,
unless he's got the fools, jest to keep up with
his nanny. He looks like he flrst wants to
stand on one end and then on tother. think
we will have to bleed that thar animal Speak
Eng of the mare. Is thar plenty of runnin'
water whar they can drink"
told him yes and discussed the pond I
had made. Says he; "Lets go down and see
that bit of a mud hole of yourn. L can't but
AhiOIS tba AT the matter lies RIGHT thar
We walked down to the pond, which had
now settled, and was clear and beautiful.
Simmons shook his head and folded up his
big white hat and said: "This looks fit for
any beast" He brought up his hat full and
before getting it to his mouth smelled a deli
cious odor. He drank the hat full without
stopping, Dropping down to his knees L
heard him say
''Bess your life, Willis, if this amt rever-
ent old"-the rest was cut short by gurglng
sound which told that hydraulic pump was
working at a lively rate i'll Simmons throat.
got down on my.all tours to see if | could
tell what was the matter. Not tOsay anything
of myself, who has special liking for high
havoring, Simmons got up with the blind
Staggers, or something else, and some OF the
boys had to show him the way home.
When things got straight with us, which
was next day, we called in some of the neigh
bors and made thorough examination of the
pool, which was found to be pure peach brandy
OF finest quality. And upon further inyesti-
proved the same. The mystery had at last eX-
blamed itself, and we can only account for it
in this way just as the fruit sap was rising
the cold spell forced it back into the roots,
where it came forth in the form of underground
peaches. They must have been very thick all
over the roots. and after maturing they rotted
and by some chemical action of the earth, or
Che clay soil, the juice was changed into clear
and delicious brandy, which is now running
out in several bold streams i'll the or
chard have had large cisterns built at each
spring, so that it may not be lost, and am
putting it up as fast l can obtain barrels.
The seed Of the peaches that rotted last year
are coming up all over the ground, and before
many years, have no doubt but that the
orchard will be a dense forest of brandy pro-
duoing trees, that will each year increase the
number of springs.
Neighbor Simmons is a constant visitor, and
though he has not had the blind staggers hard
since we we're both sick, he says: Let the
good work go on, like TO see it If 1t does run
out of the ground" And before going home,
he ALWAYS samples each spring to see which is
the best. Very respectfully,
NICK WILLIS.
The First Shall BE Last.
From the Boston Transcript
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