The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-03

Botany tells us that the peach, as its name
implies. is from Persia and was introduced
into Great Britain in 1850 and into America
in 1913. This is ell true of the Persian
peach. of which Undertook, special agent
Of United States department OF
pomolcgy, IN his report for
all late boomers and cannot carry their
foliage through the growing season OF the
southern portion of the belt in which they
are cultivated. This race includes the vari-
cites usually propagated In northern nurs-
cries and composes the bulk Of the northern
orchards
With me they are notregular bearers and
die out after bearing a few crops. There
was another variety of peaches brought to
America long before the Persian, aud as
they we're brought from Spain they are
known as Spanish peaches Columbus, no
DOUBT, brought over peach seed on his Sec
ond voyage, as it is said that be brought
over all kinds of seeds. Later, when the
Jesuits made efforts to convert the
Indians, their first work, and what they
considered work of great Importance, was
to induce the Indians TO leave off their row
ing habits and TO settle down. In order to
accomplish this they made gardens, culti-
Vateo grain, and planted fruit trees, and
the peach was one of their favorites, the
trult being delicious, and was not ouly a
great luxury for the Indians but was also
tood. And as it comes into bearing so soon
aIter plan ing 1T is easy to see that it was
very desirable.
IL may be that the peach had psrticu-
lar charm for these lonely men in far
away heathen land by reminding them of
the almond by its having blooms before il
had leaves, and as many of them were poets
as We'll as priests, and in a wild country
where there were no flower gardens,
the following lines might have had q beauty
to them which we fail to appreciate:
The hope in dreams Of a happier hour
That alights on misery's brow,
Springs out Of the silver almond flower
That blooms on leahess bough
Let the motive have been what
it might, they planted the peach
in Central and South America
and all along the Gulf coast, and now after
nearly 400 years this peach is still 70 be
found, and millions Of people bless the
Spanish priests who brought the seed TO our
shores, and in remembrance of them, as
well as the fact that we can trace it to no
other source, we call it the Spanish peach.
Menendez, in 1865, brought over colony
and planted peach orchards quite extensively
and founded st. Augustine, the Oldest town
in the United States. From this point the
seed was distributed over a great part Of
what is now Georgia and Alabama
When the white people began to
settle these states they called the
peaches that the Indians were raising
Indian" peaches and among the very best
types Of the Spanish peach is the blood red
and yellow Indian peaches. They attain an
age of from thirty to fifty years are re- GUAR
bearers, mold their leaves until the cold kills
them, never have the yellows, and will
grow from cuttings as easily as a grape
vine.
The white people also broughts peach
seed with them and planted them, and
these are known here as the English peach,
aud are tirst-class peach, but do not live
more than one-third as long as the Span
ish, although We have been raising them
from seed and treating them in every
way just as we do the Spanish. Some think
that the latter will OF do we'll farther
north than the Ohio river, but I am in
clined to think that It will do we'll anYw where
ami will quote Gold of Connecticut In his
report to the agricultural office in 1858: II
can say but little of peaches. Seeding
blood peaches prove hardy and healthy,
and bear regularly. We have one tree
nearly 20 years old still healthy. With
other varieties have had but little success"
am fully satisfied that this is the Spanish
peach, or as some call it, the blood red
Indian, and that it is an entirely distinct
variety from the Persian. Others may
think differently, and l shall be very glad
to get views either by letter or through the
News. Let us discuss the matter and get
the bottom facts. c. C. L. DILL.
DILLBURGH. ALA.