Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-12-14
Peach Growing In the South.

hardly an acre OF tlildpie ooii 49,
Tinted States where some OF the nu-
merous varieties of this delicious 1ruit
cannot be successfully grown.
During the present year by far the
largest crop Of this fruit ever pro-
duced here has been marketed WITH
more or less of profit TO the growers.
Over large areas insect depredatlons
and fungoid diseases have proved es-
necially disastrous, yet, taking the
country as a whole. while there Is
nothing to encourage extravagant
hopes of profit, it may be safely said
that there is nothing to suggest us
couragement.
So far as many portions of the South
are concerned, the outlook for peach
growing is unusually hopeful. Hither-
70 we have had everything to encour'
age the industry, except one, ana tntt
ia a nearby sale for the fruit. JUST 1
now. In q quiet way, and in great
many places, an industrial revolution
Is In progress which promises 10
change all this. The markets are conf
ing this way. Every cotton factory
every mill. every furnace or foundry
or machine shop of any kind means
more mouths to feed and more nome
demand for fruit, and when that
good time coming" is here, 1T VIII pe
here to stay, and the day OF giving
two-thirds of every bushel of peaches
grown to the railroads and trusting
s1uck" and commission men for the
other third, will only be remembered
as an unhappy incident of early ana
bye-gone days.
Whenever, therefore, the rapid
growth of cities, especially manufac-
turing cities. promises a home market
the peach grower may consider MS
prospects especially good, and those
who are first to take advantage of
such favorable conditions may expect
the largest rewards.
These who are contemplating the
planting of new peach orchards can
not be too careful in the selection OF
soil, preparation Of the ground, and
the choice Of varieties to be grown. So
far as the first is concerned, sandy
loan with a clay subsoil and good
drainage give best results. The prep
aration of the soil can hardly be too
thorough. If the ground selected has
been previously cultivated, it should
be we'll plowed, narrowed, and, if not
already rich, moderately fertilized in
the late summer or autumn before the
trees are set. If crop Of cow peas
has just been grown on the land SO
much the better. A great deal depends
on the way the trees are planted. This
work should never be trusted to or
binary farm laborers. Healthy and
vigorous trees year old should he
selected, shortened in to not more than
two feet of stem to encourage low
branching. A good soaking Of water
should be given at the time of planting
and mulch of straw, pine needles or
some other moisture holding material
should at once be applied.
Those who plant peach orchard
with the expectation that it will care
for itself after it Is set out, had bet.
ter abandon the business before they
begin. No fruit tree responds more
promptly to care and proper culture
or is more certain to resent inattep-
ton and neglect. Clean culture, abun-
dant fertilization. careful and system
attic pruning and vigilant and de-
termined fight with insect pests anil
fungoid diseases are the essential con-
diticns Of a favorable result.
The selection of proper varieties for
any given locality is also matter re-
quiring the utmost care. Almost every
peach growing region has special eli
matte and other conditions. which
make 1t unwise to depend upon the
advice of men at distance. The ey-
perience of local growers is always
worthy Of attention, and generally to
be preferred to those which, however
good showing they may make else
where, have yet to prove their fitness
for the particular region for which the
selection is to be made.
Probably the greatest mistakes that
are likely to be made by peach grow
ers are in the matter of fertilization.
The peach tree is blessed with vigor.
Gus appetite and 1t will consume and
make profitable use Of about all the
plant food that the most liberal grow
er will supply. OF course. no general
prescription will answer for all soils,
but In most cases half pound or so
Of fertilizer containing four or five
per cent. of nitrogen, eight or nine of
phosphoric acid and ten of potash may
advantageously be, worked into the
soil, a yard or SO in all directions
around the tree where it is first plant
ed. Each spring fertilizer of similar
character should be given IN increas.
ing proportions, until, when she tree is
in full bearing at five or six years OF
age, as much as ton or even ton
and half per acre of such fertillz.
er may be proftably employed.
When there is q fair market for the
fruit peach growing, thus conducted,
will always prove paying business.
Otherwise managed, or rather misman-
aged, 1t will be likely to be anything
but OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Robinson,
Southern Pines, N. @.
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