South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-05

WASHINGTON. Feb. 5.-In at least
SO Of cur As United States there are
peach interests Of commercial inn
portaDce, according to new farmers
bulletin (NO. SAD 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 VIII treat
9f fundamental orchard operations.
The questions Of site. propagation,
planting, ullage, and soil fertuIty are
treated in the first bulletin now oeing
issued.
In locating a peach, as well as any
other orchard. other advantages must
be considered besides the natural ones
Of climate and soil. III an orchard ls
too remote from "a shipping station,
too far away from suitable market,
or located where ice for refrigerator
cars cannot be conveniently supplied,
il may not be possible 20 grow
peaches there probably
Thrive Wei i'm soil Range.
Peaches may do well on a wide
range of soil types including even
some Of the moderately heavy clay
loans and clays. But whatever the
type a soil must be thoroughly well
drained to be suitable for peaches
They will not succeed on poorly
drained soils. IL follows that the
heavy clay types which are so hard
and impervious that water does not
percolate through them readily are to
be avoided as rule Moreover, SOIL
should be moderately fertile. one
very rich in nitrogen is not TO be de-
sired as "a general rule, since 1T Is
likely 20 induce an excessive growth
Of foliage ON the other hand, the
impression which is somewhat COM
mon that a poor. unfertile soil IS
good enough for peaches is er-
rOneOus.
In districts in which alkali soils
occur. sites should be selected with a
view 10 avoiding them. While the
peach tree can be grown where there
is limited amount of the alkal
salts. they cause disaster if present in
large quantities. IT is safer, therefore,
TO avoid them as far as possible.
As general proposition, a site that
is elevated considerably above the
surrounding areas is to be preferred
for a peach orchard Relative eleN a
ton is generally Of greater import
ance than actual elevation above sea
level
IL is a well-recognized fact, though
one too often overlooked in selecting
sites for orchards. that cold air settles
to the lower levels. For this reason
il is often colder at the lower eleTa-
tions than il 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-kllled
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.
Water Bodies Have Influence.
Where an orchard occupies site
that is adjacent 10 a large body OF
water. the importance of a relatively
high elevation largely disappears. To
be a factor in the matter. howeN er.
n body of water must - of sufficient
size and depth 10 have an apprccl-
able influence on the local climate.
Because the water warns up IN the
spring more slowly than the atmo-
sphere. il acts in effect as retriger-
ator. making the temperature In It's
immediate vicinity colder than it Is at
points somewhat distant from it. For
this reason. vegetation within the zcne