The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-22
PEACH TREES.

uow Longevity is Sacrificed for the
sake of Rapid Growth at the Begin
mig.
"strsnge as it may appear, the growth Of
=. mach tree seems to have much to do with
N longevity, :" says G. P. of Michigan in
American Gardening. early maturity
means early decay. Growth and decay are
Che two prominent characteristics of all
vegetation. 1t is only a question of time
when growth will cease aad decay begin.
"The peach tree comes to maturity and be-
gins TO decay in less than twenty-five years
after planting frequently in much less
than this. To secure a long lived tree great
care must be given TO its growth, both in
the nursery and in the orchard.
TOO much growth in one year is always
liable to prove injurious TO longevity sooner
or later. In order to be productive and
profitable, the newly formed fiber must be
nstured and ripeued by autumn rather
than by the zero days Of winter.
III the soil has not been previously ex-
hausted by cropping no fertilizer is neces-
sary until the trees begin to bear. Thorough
cultivation will secure growth enough
unless the soil is very poor. II it is natur-
ally productive the growth may be too
much. By careful observation you will fud
that the shortest lived peach orchards are
those that were hurried forward most by
manure and extra cultivation while they
were young.
That peach trees should grow and bear
fruit for long time without having their
productive powers stimulated by fertiliza-
ton could not be expected. After trees be-
gin to bear luscious fruit for US we must
return a suitable compensation to thu soil
for the growth Of more fiber and more fruit.
ut is necessary to remove all diseased
trees from our orchards as soop as discov-
cred and to fill their places with better
trees, grown under better methods of Quilt
walton. When peach trees are planted and
cultivated with more reference to longevity
than to a heavy crop Of fruit the fourth or
ftth year after planting we may hope to
see orchards most fruitful at 25 rather than
at 10 years of age.n
The foregoing remarks were made by a
man who comprehended certain facts rel
alive to the longevity of peach trees that
seemingly are not understood or not re-
membered by the average peach-Rrower.
Quick maturity of the tree, earliness OF the
fruit great size Of the fruit are all obtained
at the expense of longevity.
In ancient days the peach tree was long
lived tree, compared to what modern cult
ure has made it to-day. A century or so
thing for peach trees to attain to an age of
three score and ten" and even to 100 or
more years. But in the past forty or fifty
years the longevity of the peach has been
greatly diminished from one cause or an
other and now 90 or % years is considerably
srlpe old age for trees to remain in bear
Ing. Some varieties of peaches introduced
III the past twenty-five years are found not
TO be reckoaed on for more than eight or
ten years q endurance, if that. The aver
age II life has certainly been reduced to a
marked extent, and it is a subject for spec
ulauon wherein rests the causes for such a
decline.
it's coming to be pretty well understood
tnat where permanency is sought very
lslr proportion of the orchard now must
consist OF Seeding treasures grown from
Sed Just where the tree is to be grown.
drafted or budded trees of many of the
ne" varieties of peaches frequently, now
aQays, do not live more than eight or ten
years, If that, and it 10 only Seeding trees
.W need be counted on to endure a quarter
century or more; of course a great
YEA depends on the character Of the soil
,"uetner any kind of tree will endure any
Ieng'n OF time, but even onSsoil in every
way adapted to the growth of the peach
sone varieties will continue to bear for
many years, when others will fail 60 bear
-l'le man eight or ten years. II you want
peach tree to endure for fifty or
DI@ty years the seed must be planted
'E ~. where the tree is to grow.
&, tnousands and thousands of peach trees
81 'ne south are starved to death-starved
toI mineral food if nothing else An
1 u,uuatu TO be kept in thriving condition
,nass nave an occasional supply Of mineral
sI-"F ana under some circumstances a
TPpPSy also OF nitrogen now and then.
nuNe peach trees do not need any great
;uount Oh the latter still a certain supply
- essential, and when orchards have been
s,aOIlshed on poor uplands it becomes
.,.gSoes'ary to supply the necessary quantity
W. w ueeded or else the trees will suffer.
aoo' ever the orchard is in condition 20
srtSs humus, even though grad ually, no
ba "uClai supply Of nitrogen (ammonia) will
IiSa.Ieu iof, as the presence of humus im-
E, '' Vne presence Of more or less ammonia.
rbo.a a 10 The mineral elements, potash and
tbloepuoric acid, it is necessary TO supply
o rfVh every few years to insure a sufficiency
s suon 70 provide for the needs OF the trees
snr uotner thing must be regarded in as
ing longevity. After the trees are es-
oId ''tueu' say after they are four years
roa,o uere should be no disturbance of the
ner'i 4he only implement that should be
and tu'Ved In the orchard then are the hoe
he .T Tue moving blade. The trees should
rssrau wed to become as forest teees In this
oroSa' Any weeds that grow I'D in the
rar1.;uu should be moved and allowed to
-''u ABOUT the trees as a mulch.
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