The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-01-31
IS GIVEN
on RAISING
PEACHES ]
4Ik ANt{VA - ,B4fs-l
Thirty -Nine States CONNER
cialIy Interested in Grow
ing of This Fruit.

x lftif ~ ivy ~ kbtbto INtSa flis.1
/ WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-1n att
least 80 OF orr 49, United States there
are peach interests OF commercial i'm.
portance, according to a new Farm
ers' Bulletin (No. 831) of the United
States Department OF Agriculture on
Growing Peaches" This bulletin, is
the first OF three on .the general sub
ject OF peach growing. which will
treat on fundamental orchard opera
lions. The questions OF site, propo-
cation, planting; tillage and soil fertil-
ity are treated In the first bulletin
now being issued.
Many Necessities.
In locating peach, as we'll as any
other orchard, other advantages must
be considered besides the natural ones
OF climate and soil. Il an orchard
is too remote from a shipping station,
too far away from a suitable market,
Tor located where ice for refrigerator
cars cannot be conveniently supplied,
1t may not be possible to grow peaches
there probably.
Peaches ,ahay do we'll on. q. wide
range Of soil types including even
some of the moderately heavy clay
lloams and sclays. But whatever the
type, a soil must be thoroughly we'll
drained to be suitable for peaches.
They will not succeed on poorly drain
ed soils. i II follows that the heavy
clay types which are SO hard and inn
peryious that water does not perco-
late through them readily are to be
avoided as a, rule. Moreover, a soil
should be moderately fertile. One
very rich in nitrogen Is not to be de-
sired as general rule, since 1t is,
likely to induce. an excessive growth
Of foliage. On the other hand, the
impression which Is somewhat COM
mon that poor, rinfertile, soil Is
good enough for peaches" is enron
eotis:
In districts In which alkali soils oc-
cur, cites should be selected with a
view to avoiding them. While the
peach tree can be grown where there
is a limited anount Of the aliali
salts, they cause disaster II present
in large quantities. 1t is safer, there
fore, to avoid them as far as possible.
Elevation Important.
AS a general proposition, a site
that is elevated considerably above
the surrounding areas is to be pre-
ferred for a peach orchard. Rela-
tive elevation is generally Of greater
Importance than actual elevation
above sea level.
1t Is a we'll recognized fact, though
one too often overlooked in selecting
sites for orchards, that cold air set
ties to the lower levels. For this rea-
son 1t is often colder at the lower
elevations than 1t is at higher points
/ in the same locality This is what Is
meant by atmospheric drainage " The
occurrence OF frost in low places when
there is none on elevated areas Is
thus explained. For the same reason
peach buds are often winter-ki1led
or the blossoms are injured by: frost
in the spring in low places when
nearby orchards ON higher elevations
are injured much less, or even escape
entirely.
Where an orchard occupies a site
that Is adjacent to a large body of
water, the importance OF a relatively
high elevation largely disappears. To
be a factor in the matter, however, q
body OF water must be of sufficient
size and depth to have an appreciate
Influence on the local climate. Be-
cause the water. warns up in the
spring more slowly than the atmos-
phere, 1t acts in effect as q refrfgera-
tor. making the temp rature in its inn
mediate vicinity, colder than 1t is at
points somewhat distant from 1t. For
this reason, vegetation Within the zone
of this influence advances more slow
ly in the spring than 1t does outside
4 Of that zone. The tendency is for the
biossoming OF peach trees situated
within the zone to be delayed until
after the season Offspring frosts Is
past 80. 4.
Delayed Frosts. ~ stase.
In the tall, frosts are delayed In
a similar manner except that the
large body of water, having absorbed
much heat during the summer, cools
of in the fam more slowly than the
atmosphere, and hence 1t tends to
! keep the temperature, Within its zone
OF influence warmer than 1t would
i otherwise he. NJ & g Ut ~
\ 1t isabecause of these reasons that
| peaches are grown with marked sue
cess and injury to the crops by adj
\ verse temperature conditions is com
4 paratively infreque in the portions
\ of New York and the province OF on
tario that border Lake Ontario; in
i Ohio along Take iErde; In southwes-
tern Michigan on Lake Michigan, and
1 in some other districts which are adj
4 jacent,to large bodies of water. AS
rule, the Zone OF inHlience Of bodies
|. OF %ater, such as; these named. DIS rath-
er narrow, usually not extending back
from the shore more thanea few miles
4 The slope or exposure of q site is
4 the point OF the y compass toward
which the land inclines. "A question
! very commonly asked is, what slope
4 is best?" IT Is one that admits OF nc
] direct answer. No one slope is pref
ierable under all conditions and IN al!
regions. In tact, the influence which
a particular exposure may have in the
success OF an orchard Is probably
much over-emphasized In the popular
mind
laaS Limiting Factor.
| AS a rule, 1t Is doubtless safe to as
!, sume that a site having moderate
\ slope In some direction is to be pre-.
|. ferred COR. orchard purposes, othe,
J things being equal 10. one that is lev.
Il n n