Evening journal., 1913-01-15
-~-<
DECLINE UF
The PEACH
IN DELAWA Are
Prof. MCCue Tells HOrtlCul-
turiStS TO Cultivate the
Crop Again
YELLOWS WIPED
OUT THE STATE CROP


Peninsular Horticultural Society to
a realization that business was due
promptly at o'clock yesterday after
noon. and the room was well-hlled
by delegates and visitors. IL was
noticeable that there were many more
residents of Wilmington present at
the afternoon session than there were
at the one in the morning. A num-
Der of local business men who, being
alive, realized that closer acquaint-
ance with the fruit growers of the
peninsula was decidedly beneficial TO
them, attended the business session,
and the fruit exhibit. which is Az
once intensely interesting, educa-
tional and pleasing. was visited b,
hundreds of men of all professions
and kinds of business, and equal
numbers of women. This is what the
exhibition is for, in the main-to
show the public some things about
fruit which they had never known
Professor G. A. McCue, of the Della
ware Experimental Station, opened
the session by an address on Modern
Peach Growing. His address was
particularly interesting, in view VI
the fact that peach growing in Della
ware has received but little attention
for several years.
Mr. McCue said in part. The
growth of peaches in this peninsula
had been permitted to decline foi
some years The people seem to have
gone apple-crazy, and not without
reason. But II is about time to call
a halt on leaving the peach business.
Both peaches and apples have their
uses and their values. OF course,
some people will make a success OF
apple raising who viii make failures
as peach growers, and the reverse is
also true. But in my opinion the
present outlook for peach growing in
the Delaware-M Maryland peninsula is
particularly favorable.
I'VE occupy a very peculiar posi-
tion in the peach market of the world,
because our crop is available in the
season between the end OF the south
ern peach crops and the commence
ment of the mountain crop. We
must take advantage OF this season
and if we do not do so. we are not
doing our whole duty by agricui-
ture.
There are many causes for this de-
cline in peach growing-yellows were
one OF the main causes. Then when
the San Jose scale followed the yell
lows, and the brown rot followed the
scale. the peach grower thought his
cup Of misery was full 10 the brim,
and he stopped the growth OF peaches
But we have learned to control the
lrown rot and the San Jose scale,
and we can control the yellows also
if we go about IL in the right way l
have a thrifty three-year-Old tree a.
the experimental station which was
planted in the same spot from where
a tree with the yellOws had been re-
moved, and il has never showed a
sign of the yellOws.
"The figures of the census taken in
1910 were particularly misleading be-
cause they were based on the crop
of 1909, and everybody knows 1908
was a short year The total value Of
the fruit crop was given as S2l 600
for Delaware. Had the census been
taken one year later, and, Of course.
based on the 1910 crop. the figures
would have shown over 100000.
Nov, as to the kinds of peaches
TO grow. Grow Carmen In the pas.
1t was bad peach to grow because
OF the rot But with our present
knowledge, we can make the cultiva-
ton of this peach profitable. Plant
Champions and Belle of Georgia also.
1T is important when the young
trees are received from the nursery
man to examine each tree thoroughly
for borers-One third of the deaths
of peach trees on thi peninsula was
due to borers instead of yellows-so
keep a sharp lookout for borers, and
go after them with wire and knife.
Cow peas make a good cover crop
where the shade is dense, but is not
a good crop where the share is not
dense-One disadvantage OF the COW
pea is that the first slight frost will
kill it.
1T has been said that a peach tree
cannot stand prosperity. lt will stand
prosperity, but you must regulate
the prosperity We got the most
peaches where we used the most
nitrogen. but we balanced the
nitrogen with potash and phosphoric
acid.
"In conclusion. l want to impress
the Importance Of not deserting the
peach crop The time OF the big or
chard is past, and the man who hand
les the small orchard not over 10
or 20 acres. so that he can handle it
himself intelligently and intensiyely
is the man who will make the money,
and you will all agree that in the
past you have considered the peach
money easy money"
Success With Peach Orchards.
Joseph Barton, OF Marlton. y. j.. 2
famous horticulturist. followed Pro-
fessor McCue. and gave an able and
interesting dissertation on Success
with a Peach orchard In part. he
said
"The most important qualification
in success with peach orchard Is
the selection of location. The
ground where the trees are planted
must be dry so that the trees do not
have wet feet. A peach tree will not
succeed if the roots are too wet. The
ground around the orchard must not
he low or the orchard will freeze TO
the last tree.
Get a good, strong tree at the
start. DO not fertilize too heavily
with nitrogen until after the trees
have given their first crops Peach
orchards are living longer nowadays
than formerly, and we cut out limb
or two every season. and permit the
growth of young wood, so that even
tually there is a new top in your
tree"
The speaker gave a scientific lee
ture on spraying methods and mater
ials
You should consider cropping pro-
pensities in your trees rather than
qualities, and the time of ripening.