The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-24

Connecticut Orchards Vow RivnliiuG the Proa.
net OF Della are md MARYLAND.

ASsoNIA. Conn, Sept. 23.-Connecticut IL
rapidly ccoming a rival of Delaware and Mary
land. IL, indeed. 1t is not already the equal OF either
OF these States in the growing of peaches. Fifty
years ago. or even less than that, peaches were
a profitable part OF the Connecticut farmers
crops. For some reason the orchards. as they
died out, were not renewed. and gradually the
growing OF peaches was given up.
Some twenty years ago there lived in New.
town. a few miles northwest OF here. a man
named William = att. He was eccentric, but q
most successful farmer. He knew what peaches
could be raised on the otherwisc worthless land
OF Sewtown. and the idea struck him to make
the experiment OF growing them. He went to
Delaware for the trees and started u small or
chard. His success soon became apparent, and
he used to exhibit some OF the largest and
handsonest peaches ever shown at the annual
county fairs.
He had no special method of culture, as he
once told THE Sun correspondent. He kept the
trees well pruncd and the soil well loosened
about the trunks, and then he scattered grain
about the trees and turned his large Hook OF
hens into the orchard To scratch for their living.
This Kept down the destructive insect, the
curcuito especially. ana his orchard thrived.
Probably the next man to whom the present re-
rival Of peach growing in Connecticut is most
due is the Hon. J. II. Hale OF South Glaston-
acres both in that town and in Oxford. near this
CITY. and whose trees run up into the thousands.
-lE. AldltI Il u 4tHtlll EIONtE. .NOlnlHH Ii ltLU
TO chance that care and hard work can aid.
His peach 5 are noted throughout the State and
always command good prices. His orchard this
season Will yield from $4,000 to Is, 900 baskets.
There are many other large growers in the
State: but probably next TO MIR. Hale comes II.
l. Coleman of Great Hell. a couple OF miles out
side OF Ansonia's city limits. At present Mr..
Coleman has nearly 5000 trees in bearing. en-
bracing every choice variety. from the Early
Crawtords to the Late Crawfords. Shocks. and
Morris Whites. the last. a former favorite. now
nearly extinct. Mr.. Coleman this season will
harvest about 1000 baskets. Besides the trees
now in bearing he has one or two thousand
more two-ysnr-oIds which will begin to bear in
two year. ana continue for fifteen or twenty
years before they have to BE- replaced.
Last spring Mr.. Coleman and Mr.. Hale pur-
chased a large farm in Oxford, and some $4,000
trees have been or will be set ont there which
who have land good for little else are becoming
awakened to the value OF peaches as a regular
croD and are setting out trees for future invest
mcnt. This year the value OF the Connections
peach crop Will aggregate more than 81 100000.
Mr.. Coleinan's orchards are models in their
way. The care with which the cultivation iS
carried on is extraordinary. Zach tree in the
more recently planted orchard is exactly tho
same distance irom rs neighbors. and tho
ground is pioughcd and cared for as much AZ
for potatoes or corn. The biz brass and copper
mills in TINS section furnish wood ashes for fer
ti,iAcr, probably the best that can he had. h
orchards are on a hill more than 400 feet above
the levc! OF Long Island Sound, and have south
growth OF peaches. for the extreme cold Of tho
high altitude keeps the buds from. premature
swelling and consequent freezing late in the
spring. and retarGs development until all dam
ger OF frost has passed.
Thus the quantity of peaches raised each
year in this State is increasing: as for the quail
~, there is none like them in this great country
for size. flavor. and beauty OF colorinS.