The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1901-04-25
PEACH CULTURE.

| Nr. p. J Moran, who visited our Sec
tion recently. has a splendid write-up
! in the Atlanta Constitution Of peach
culture in Cobb county.
In company with Judge Gober, he
visited the orchards here and in an in
terview gathered some interesting
facts:
Il was led into this selection Of or
chard sites" said Judge Gober, by
| the knowledge that alter you cross the
Chattahoochce almost every five miles
shows distinct climatic conditions.
Sometimes the unfavorable weather
comes from the south as well as from
the north. and when orchards in one
section may be nipped from some cause.
the Others are free from it. ] have my
orchards planted sixty miles north and
south. so that catch every wind that
blows. and escape some OF them. l
have scattered throughout Cobb county
over 100000 peach trees, rs, 0O0in Cher
okee county and 1885, 600 in Pickens
county.
Il have discovered many advantages
for fruit in North Georgia" said the
Judge, sin mentioning which am not
speaking against any other section.
The iron in our soil gives a different
flavor to our peaches and colors them
so highly that / am sure they will be
regarded as q different brand in the
market. As far as | have had expert
ence think there is something in a
claim for superior shipping quality. At
least, there is no advantage possessed
by other sections which we do not
equally share.
Protection against the elements is
one of the first considerations Wher-
ever the northwest winds find sufficient
space to swoop down upon the plain,
they will envelop everything within
their grasp. An orchard well protected
by range of heights cutting off the
onslaught of the northwest wind will
in ninety nine cases out of one hundred
escape danger. In selecting an orchard
site in this country, therefore, it is es-
sential to give it a southeast sun ex-
posture and a northwest protection.
Every few miles such chains of natural
protection are found in northeast Geor-
gia. During the past five crop seasons
the Marietta district has made four
good crops. l selected my Pickens
county orchard on the mountain side
| upon the advice of man who had en-
joyed fruit there for fifty years without
missing a single season. On the other
| side of the slope there had been fail
ures, but on the side of my orchard
! there had never been known q failure
since the Indians left. Some of the old
Indian trees still stand, bearing as well
as ever. And this makes me revert to
the advantage of northeast Georgia as
fruit section. You can find peaches
on these old volunteer trees which for
size, flavor and appearance cannot be
surpassed by those from the most sci
entifically cultivated orchards of other
! places.
In speaking of markets, Judge Gobei
showed that Marietta was splendidly
situated to reach all the large cities
I'm fact" said Judge Gober, ''if the
railroads will place me in a good SELL
ing market with my fruit perfect, the
matter of freight rates becomes one OF
indifference. 1t will never do to shiI
understandable fruit no matter what
the freight rate, even if transportation
was free. have only one complaint
to make against railroads, and that is
the discriminating in favor of Califor.
MIA. California fruit is carried 2,OO(
miles for 45 cents per 100, while we
pay so cents for 800 miles"
The Elberta, which largely FREEDOM
mates in my orchards, is as STANDARD
on the market as corn or bacon. The
Fort Valley Elbertas are in the market
and sold out the first two weeks in Ju
ly, whetting the public palate and Gre
ating the desire for more. Our Mari
eta Elbertas come in on the Goth o.
July, filling in the next two weeks o.
the market, running it into August
Then the Pickens county Elbertas fill
out August, clearing the biggest profit
out Of ravenous market. The late
peach pays best, because it enjoys the
benefit of all advertising given by the
earlier varieties"
Judge Gober thinks that a mar
should love a peach tree as he would
love child if he would make success
Of raising peaches.
There are in the neighborhood Of
Marietta a dozen large orchards and
many smaller ones. which have had
their inception from Judge Gober's ex.
ample. Mr., Turner ranks next after
Judge Gober in the number of hi,
trees: Messrs. E. 2. Dobbs, Baker. w
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