The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-27

! TO agricultural and horticultural subjects.
II addressed to Agri. Editor, Drawer N,
Milledgeyille, Ga. win receive immediate
attention.
A Few Words About Peach Growing.
Probably if the matter could be sub
mitted 10 popular vote, the fruit that
would carry off the palm for excellence
! would be the peach. 1t Is a universal ia
vorite the world over, and there are very
few people who do not feel sense of al
most personal loss when, as now, the
country has been swept by so disastrous
freeze as that of Feb. IA of the present
year.
Naturally, there will be a great deal of
discourse cement among the growers of this
delicious fruit, and many, no doubt, will
be induced TO abandon the business Of
peach growing. This is human nature,
but 1t IS not wisdom or business shrewd-
ness. The crop of any kind for which
there is a universal demand and which
great many people are ready to give up
on account of the obstacles encountered,
is the very one a wise man will make ev
cry effort TO grow.
To those who have the skill and perse-
verance and business sense to take ad-
vantage of the present discOuraging con-
ditions in peach growing, a few words by
way of suggestion may not be amiss. In
the Northern fruit belt it is not too late
yet TO set trees, and in the Southern the
summer may be proftably spent in get
ting ready to do so.
Selecting the Ground-Very much de-
ponds on this. The peach tree is a very
poor weather prophet. 1t is In altogether
too big a hurry to get started In the
spring. Locations should always be cho-
sen which are likely to retard rather than
favor early blooming Dry. well drained
soil, with more sand than clay in its com
position, and a fairly high elevation,
should always be given the preference.
The Trees.-The number of varieties
now urged upon the attention of growers
is so great that the task of making a
good selection has become rather "a diff
cult one Probably the best thing one can
do is to consult experienced growers in
the immediate neighborhood.
Get budded trees, warranted free from
fungod diseases and insect pests. Don't
fool away your time and money with seed
hugs under the mistaken notion that they
make a more hardy tree. Let them not
be over one year old. June budded'
trees cost less, and while not so. large,
can be transplanted with greater ease
and more certainty.
Preparation OF the Soil - Liber-
atty in this direction certainly
pays. Thorough culture and generous fer
tilization are prime requisites. Better
plant one acre and give it extra care, ma
nurlng and attention, than five with half
way feeding and Indifferent culture. II
the land has been planted with COW peas
the previous year with a dressing of 100
pounds of muriate of potash and 800 of SUI
per-phosphate. other things being favor
able, it win probably be in good condition
for setting the young grove.
Pruning the Trees.-Some trees can be
let alone and without pruning will bear a
fair amount of fruit, but not the peach
As soon as the trees are set they should
be cut back to about twenty inches from
the ground. Great care must be taken IN
setting trees that all bruised or dried-up
roots are pruned off and the earth care
fully packed in around the roots Water
freely after the earth Is tightly crowded
in. From one-half to two-thirds of the
new growth must be shortened in each
year. Encourage low. wide, branching
open and symmetrical top.
Culture and Fertihzing Frequent, shall
low and clean culture and plenty of avail
OF successful peach growing.
On no account attempt to grow any other
crop in peach orchard
On most soils for a full food ration not
less than 100 pounds of muriate of potash
and 800 Of superphosphate should be annu-
ally applied to the acre. These should be
worked into the soil in the late winter or
early spring. To this should be added 200
pounds of nitrate of soda or $50 of sui
phate of ammonia, to be applied at two
or three different times during the grow
ing season. One-fourth of these amounts
should be given the first year. when the
trees are newly set, and another fourth
added each year until the full amount is
reached
Thinning the Fruit.-Here is where most
people fail. II seems such pity to pull
off so much promising fruit. But to III.
sure success il must be done. perseverlng-
~ pitilessly! The grower that has pulled
off all that his conscience will let him has
probably got off one-half as many as oueh,
TO come. We often hear people boast
ing about their trees being loaded with
fruit" climbs breaking" etc. Ii is moth
ing to brag about. Nothing can be more
fatal TO a peach orchard. Indeed. the
shortened lives and i'll condition of many
of the peach groves all over the country
are probably quite as much owing to per
mitting them to overbear as to aDv other
cause. One such mistake may not abso.
lutely destroy a tree. but il saps its vital
ity, and the tree will take years to re-
cover Besides, crowded fruit is ALWAYS
small and seldom pays for shining
Therefore. the man who makes This mis-
take is doing two very unwise things
killing both the fruit market and his trees
IL pays handsomely in the end to thin ont
fruit. Norman Robinson.
Dove Cote Wanted.