The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1900-12-22
Peach Growing in the South.

HefS rs ITO lFult llOFe universally
relished than the peach. There IS
hardly an acre of tillable soil in the
United States where some Of the nu-
merous varieties Of this delicious fruit
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 depredatians
and fungoid diseases have proved es-
pecially disastrous, yet, taking the
country as a whole, while there is
nothing to encourage extravagant
hopes Of profit, 1t may be safely said
that there is nothing to suggest dis.
enlargement.
So far as many portions of the South
are concerned, the outlook for peach
growing Is unusually hopeful. Hither.
to we have had everything to encour.
age the industry. except one, and that
is a nearby sale for the fruit. just
now, in a quiet way, and in q great
many places, an industrial revolution
Is in progress which promises to
change all this. The markets are com.
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 home
demand for fruit, and when that
good time coming" is here, IT. will be
here to stay. and the day Of giving
two-thirds OF every bushel Of peaches
grown to the railroads and trusting
''luck" and commission men for the
other third, will only be remembered
as an unhappy incident of early and
bye-gone days.
Whenever, therefore, the rapid
growth Of cities, especially manufac
turing cities, promises a home market
the peach grower may consider his
prospects especially good, and those
who are first to take advantage OF
such favorable conditions may expect
the largest rewards.
Those who are contemplating the
planting Of new peach orchards can
not be too careful in the selection Of
soil, preparation Of the ground, an(
the choice Of varieties to be greWn. 81
far as the first is concerned, a sandy
loan with clay subsoil and goot
drainage give best results. The prep
aration Of the soil can hardly be to-
thorough. If the ground selected hal
been previously cultivated, 1t shoult
be well plowed, narrowed, and, If no
already rich, moderately fertilized Il
the late Summer or autumn before tn
trees are set. If q crop Of cow pea
has Just been grown on the land s.
much the better. A great deal depend
on the way the trees are planted. Thi
work should never be trusted to OF
vigorous Ierishen9rs-H Healthy an.
selected, shortened in to not more tina
two feet Of stem to encourage loy
branching. A good soaking of waite
should be given at the time Of planting
and a mulch Of straw, pine needles o
some other moisture holding materia
should at once be applied.
Those who plant a peach orchar,
with the expectation that it will car
for itself after 1t is set out, had bet
ter abandon the business before the,
begin. No fruit tree responds NOR,
promptly to care and proper cultur,
or Is more certain to resent inatten
ton and neglect. Clean culture, abun
dant fertilization, careful and system
attic pruning and vigilant and de
termined fight with insect pests AM
fungoid diseases are the essential con
ditions of favorable result.
The selection Of proper varieties fol
any given locality is also g. matter re-
curing 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 a distance. The ex,
perience Of local growers Is always
worthy Of attention, and generally to
be preferred to those which, however
good a 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 a yigor.
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 a half pound or SO
OF a 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 the tree is
in full bearing at five or six years oe
ago, as much as a ton or even ton
and a half per acre of such fertile.
er may be proftably employed.
When there is a 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 remmerative.-Norman Robinson,
Southern Pines, N. G..
That man gets used to anything"
Gas been shown again by the extra
ordinary cases Of GOODNESS under fire
at the front In the South African war.
At Labuschagne's mex private in the
deadly zone OF fire tore oeen a letter