The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-03
AGRICULTURE.
Peaoh crowIna In AIahana

Peach Growing In Alabama.
 The fine peach crop of the present sea son, together with remuneratlve prices has greatly stimulated the interest ,r, peach growing, and already arrangements are being made to plant large acreage the coming fall and spring.
 No doubt but tha many trees will be planted, as in the past, in careless way and with but little thought or re- gard for the requirements for fruit free The object of these papers is to assist the new and inexperienced beginners in ! the work of preparing the soil in the planting and In the cultivation of the trees, as well as to give some pointers on the rcarketing of the fruit when grown.
 It is always safe thing to plant and grow such a crop as the soil and climate l is best adapted for, provided always that there Is a paying market where such crops may be sold.
 These reasons perhaps are the main ones why Alabama has not before developed her great natural advantages as a peach a market for the friut But this objection has been entirely removed, and the fact that American peaches are now sent to Europe successfully gives us permanent market for very large crops of fine l peaches, and the question now is will we grow enough to supply these mar kets? Look at what the state of Georgia has done along this line this season, and then ask why not Alaba;- :? One grower in Georgia raid out $121, ,OO0 to get his peach crop on She market, the crop selling for over S300, 900. And we might ask again why cannot Alabama do as well? She has the peach soil and the climate, and all that Is needed is first the knowledge of how to do and then the will to do it.
 1 know that we have in Alabama some growers like Capt Jeff Falkner of Mont gomery. and MT. Turnipseed of Union Springs, who are demonstrating what can be done in Alabama in peach growing, and 1t would be well for all new beginners to follow their example and take their advise also.
 Location.
 wart to first notice the matter of To- catian.
 do not think, however, that the mat ter of location so far as to slopes to the uOTtus SOutH, east or west IS concerned, will cut much figure-unless perhaps a very steep slope to the north may de- lay the ripening a few days, and also trees may hold their friut on better where not exposed to the direct rays of the hot sun. But the main thing of all is in selecting land that is best adapted for the growth of the peach and then properly prepare the land before the trees are planted.
 
 In Alabama, especially in the central and northern part of the state, there should be no trouble in finding soil well suited for the peach. There is a great abundance of land with a deep red clay sub-soil which contains iron enough to give the fruit the right color, and this is the kind of soil on which to grow com mercial friuts. Soils with a stiff white hard-pan bottom should be avoided, also soils with a wet acid sub-soil should be summed, as the peach tree will not grow when its feet are wet. We have in Ala bama lots of fine table lands on top of the hills and mountains. These lands are the very best of locations for peaches.
 Then again there Is a great deal of rough hill and mountain sides where the trees will do well if given half a chance. The only or greatest objection to such situations is that such soils are very difficult to cultivate, but often they can be turned to much better profit by being planted to fruit trees and sown to some of the clovers for mulching and use the clover for the figs The reader who lives in Alabama will see at once that he can have his choice of soil and location for peach trees. After the location has been decided upon the next thing in order Is to prepare the soil, and here Is where so many fall d;Nn, from the fact that they are not willing to do or perform enough labor to make the matter a suc- cess.
 The kind of farming as commonly used for growing cotton and corn will not answer for growing fruits and vegetables. It takes a higher education, closer ap- piication to business. not that the work is more laborous, but to the contrary. The main road to success lies In doing the right thing at the right time and in the right manner. Full attention to all the details is what succeeds.
 Preparing the Soil.
 But I will say something on the prepa- ration of the soil Having agreed upon a location or soil, the next thing is to set to work to prepare the soil and put it in a high state of cultivation. But before proceeding further with this part Of the subject I want to state here that many growers of fruit make the same mistake as do those who try 10 grow grasses and clovers. They think that after soil Is so badly worn that it will no longer grow a crop of cotton that they can SOW 1t to grasses and have fine pastures or plant it to friut trees and have fine fruit. This is a great mistake as I shall show later on that fruit trees need plant food as well as other crops.
 If the land selected Is in timber it should be cleared and all stumps removed before planting the trees. After clearing the soil should be deeply broken, and the sub soil blow used in order to secure a deep mellow soil. I know that many will claim that trees may be set among the stumps and cultivated as best they can be under such circumstances, and that trees so planted have produced fine fruit. This is all true to certain extent, but where trees is so set one is always at great disadvantage in cultivating, as it takes so much time in lodging the stumps and besides around every old stump there will always be an ugly weed bed.
 In clearing 1t is economy and saves time in the end to grub up by the roots all Drttsh and small tires to cut them