New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-08
FEW PEACHES THIS YEAR.
HAVOC WROUGHT THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY BY TIE RECENT BLIZZARD.

HAVOC WROUGHT THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY BY THE RECENT BLIZZARD.
Washington March (SpecaD. Eek Governor
Hale Of Connecticut. the foremost peach grower OF
the United States. who has immense orchards in
Georgia in addition to owning thousands Of trees
In Connecticut was visitor at the Department
OF Agriculture the other day. his way South to
Investigate the condition Of his Southern trees.
Although the Ex-Governor is as plucky and cheer
ful as though the money coming into his
pocket from full peach yield, he is prepared for
the and will not be particularly surprised to
ind not only sign OF fruit for the coming sea-
in Georgia. but all his trees. representing hum
dreds Of thousands Of dollars killed 10 the ground
The late blizzard and the intense cold weather
accompanying il have played havoc with the peach
industry throughout the country The Department
Of Agriculture is recei wing reports from all sec
tons aud the consensus OF opinion IL that there
VII. be no luscious peaches next summer. Where
growers get of with only the loss OF their crop
they Will consider themselves lucky Mr.. Hale says
that practically every peach tree IN Connecticut is
killed. with the exception OF one variety. Hills
Chilli which has suffered little injury even 10 the
fruit buds. 1t IL. however the Ex-Governor says.
poor peach. being rather dry. and is not used for
eating purposes when other varieties be
had Bvery HIPS Chill. nevertheless which can
he squeezed OF the will doubtless be eaten
the coming SEASON Mr.. Hae's Georgia superin-
LcnCent ddN.Std MIN mat ne DeUeVed the INJURY
trees meWhat less than at first supposed. but
what worries Mr. Hale mos Is the fact that the
hardy and semi-hsrdy ornamental trees about the
house which have mover heretofore been affected
by Georgia freezes. now dead that he is
suspicious to the condition of his peach trees.
II is not the impression. however. OF the pomolo-
gists Of he Department of Agriculture that the
Georgia peac trees are dead as reports from Mis-
souri,. Tennessee and Kentucky indicate that while
every peach bud has been killed. the trees are not
generally fatally Injured.
The fruit industry OF Northern Michigan received
a terrible blow. Not only the peach trees. but In
many cases the harder apple trees. succumbed
The mercury stood below for weeks. and the
ground was frozen four feet deep Never has such
destruction swept the lake region since the great
freeze OF 1S4-'75 when every peach tree was killed
A trustworthy grower near Ludington Mich. re-
ports 10 the Department that all his Ben Davis
Baldwin Early Harvest and Sweet apples. some
of them twenty years OF age. have been killed
Northern Spies proved more hardy and are alive
though their fruit Is killed
Apparent relief in a small way comes TO lovers OF
peaches from a few sections one in Northern
Pennsylvania and in the Niagara region OF New
York where the thermometer registered only about
10 degrees below zero and whore II is believed that
peach buds have not been greatly injured. but I'M
fortunately these sections do not contain any great
number Of peach trees though around Niagara
there are a good many pluus. cherries and pears.
The entire destruction OF the peach crop and the
killing OF a large proportion OF the peach trees OF
the United States calls attention TO the fact that
II is possible to grow peach which are hardy
and which Will bear fruit even under these severe
conditions and efforts OF growers and experiment
ers Will Undoubtedly be stimulated 10 produce q
peach which Will combine the hardy qualities OF
The HIPS Chill and the iuclness and delicious naVor
of more tender varieties. This combination must
come about largely though hybridlzaton or cross
fertilization Hybridizaton in fruits is frequently
productive Of wonderful results. The operation Is
performed by transferring the pollen rom one
variety species. say the hardy klnd 10 the
flower organs OF the other kind. when the SEED
thus produced will develop into tree whch may
combine the best qualities Of the TWO parents ne
hardness OF the and the fine flavor and fruiInS
cauacIv OF the other or course TINS is not likely
10 occur with a single attempt but wfere such e%-
perirncnts are carried on they are on large scale
nd hundreds of hybrid specimens are secured roll
lowing the freeze OF lS4-l6. the HIS 'hIh was
planted largely by many Northern growers ahe
many improvements were made on II, but Httie. II
ANYTHING was attempted in the way or cross-ferun-
cation. The methods then used fOr us improve
mcnt consisted In raising seedlings from H. ! ms
variety comes true seed and many seeding HliIs
chill orchards were planted. Some or these trees
were improvements the parents. A curious fedt-
re Of It's reproduction by seed is FOUND In the fact
thar whereas this variety is yellow peach, us
see llings produced white-heshed frult. Inc
seedlings from these peaches. however-the grand
children OF the HIPS Chili-reverted In many cases
gain n the original. and became yellow peaches.