The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-07-28
MONEY IN 1T.
PEACH GROWING SECTION OF MID.
DIE GEORGIA.

EDITORS JOURNAL have speEt
several weeks recently down in the
peach growing section of Middle
Georgia. People in our part of the
state, who have never been there at
this season of the year, have no idea
of the enormity of the Business. l
had no time to study the business,
bat from what came in my way l
was astonished that such an immense
business was being done so near
home and SO little being said about
it. Around Fort Valley and Mars
shallville there are thousands of
acres in peaches. The "Elberta'' is
the favorite variety, which was ori>
ginated by MIR. Samuel Rumph. of
Marshallville. 1t is very large,
yellow, clear seed peach, and very
juicy. 1t is we'll adapted for ship
ping, SO considering its size and
quality hence its value.
l am afraid that some of our PEG.
pie, if they should see so many
peaches, would be afraid to invest
in an orchard, for fear they would
overstock the markets of the United
States.
l met some of the orchard owners
and inquired into some of the de-
tails. l first asked why all the big
peach orchards were in that imme>
date vicinity, and no one could say
except that one man had made the
experiment there and found it a
success and every one else had tried
to get as close TO him as possible,
like the man who is catching fish
out of hole and all the other fsh-
ers try to put their hooks near his
in hope of catching what he might
catch. But in this case it is bene-
fetal to all, for as one raiser said, if
every acre in the State of Georgia
that is suitable for raising peaches
was set out in orchards there would
still be demand for as many more,
and by so many orchards being to-
gether it is an inducement for the
railroads to give the best freight
rates possible and in furnishing
other accommodations that could
not be furnished places that shipped
only few cars year.
They only expect crop about
every three or four years, and while
they produce nothing for one or two
years, yet they net their owners far
more money than lands planted in
cotton ard producing every year.
They estimate that a new orchard
will, the third year, pay for the land
and the cost of the trees ard all at
tention until the crop is gathered.
Some of the best orchards | saw
were planted on land just like the
old hills of Cobb county, and there
is no reason why just as good peaches
and just as many cannot be raised
here. Besides, it furnishes employ
ment to everybody-men, women
and children. / saw in some of the
packing houses some of the incest
young ladies in the towns, hard at
work: sorting and packing peaches,
and they seemed to enjoy it.
The trees are hardly every SO high
that man cannot reach to the top.
Every peach is picked off the tree
and carefully laid (not THROWN in a
basket, they are then carried usually
in spring wagon to the packing
house, where the young ladies sort
and pack them in crates holding
about three pecks each. No peach
is put in that has a worm hole or
other deformity, or is quite ripe, and
| know it would break some peoples
hearts | know around Marietta to
have to throw away so many peaches
VIXEN the good ones are bringing
such a good price, but a few bad
ones in crate ruins the price of all
the rest.
l was told that one man was offer
ed sixty thousand dollars for his
peaches on the trees and the buyer
to gather them. This sounds un.
reasonable, but when you see what
is being done down there, you are
not disposed to doubt Anything.
| was in an orchard the other day
of less than one hundred acres, and
the owner said mis- sales for that day
| t. =. L