The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-10-28
SOUTH CAROLINA'S
PEACH CLIMATE
4 Comparison in Detail of Climatic Conditions
Of the Main Peach Growing Sections of
South Carolina and Georgia
tBE A. NJ. Mpsser. Associate Hor-
tic,nturist, Clemson College,.

tBy A. NJ. Musser. Associate Hor-
tiemturist, Clemson College,.
At the present time Georgia ships
many more thousands of carloads
of peaches than any other south
ern state. In 1921. according to
the records of the United States
department. of agriculture. Georgia
shipped 1885 cars and South
Carolina shipped the insignifcan.
number Of 81 cars. In 1919 Geor-
gia had 110.526 acres of peaches
and South Carolina 1850 acres.
This acreage includes both young
and bearing trees as we'll as home
and commercial orchards. The
figures given above are such ex-
tremes that they can hardly be
compared, yet the commercial
peach growing sections Of Georgia
and South Carolina are in almost
the same latitude and have sirl-
ilar climatic conditions.
We know that South Carolina
can and does produce just as good
peaches as Georgia and that Geor-
gia is one Of the largest peach
growing states in the country. We
have just a good soils as Georgia
for growing peaches. the topo-
graphy OF these soils is just as fa-
vorabie, and in addition we are
nearer the large Eastern markets
Then how does our climate COM
pare with that of Georgia. The.
following data which was obtained
from the records of the United
States weather bureau Will no
doubt surprise many. of South Car.
DINA peach growers.
IN both states peaches are grown
on commercial scale in the Pied
mont and Central regions. Toe
Goa, while near the northern linz
il of the present commercial Or
chards in the Georgia Piedmont
region, can be compared with
Greenvil1e, which is representative
of the Piedmont region Of this
state. Both are at about the same
altitude and both are IN the same
latitude. Macon. Ga. is about in
the central peach belt of that state.
and can be compared with Cam
den, which is fairly representative
of conditions between Columbia
{ and Hamlet, in what are known
as the sandhilis. and where large
paintings have recently been made.
Camden is approximately one de-.
gree Of latitude farther north than
Macon. Toccoa has an altitude of
1850 feet. Greenville 9s9 feet, Ma
con $40 feet, and Camden 222 feet.
There is little difference in rain
fall Camden has a yearly aver
age OF 4i.71 inches. Macon Ass
inches, Greenyiile s.. .55 inches and
Toccoa 1881 inches. In all places
the rainfall is well distributed
throughout the year, there being
little difference in the monthly
averages between Camden and Ma
con and between Greenville and
Toceoa. This amount of rainfall
is sufficient for the needs of
large crop of peaches every year
OF normal rainfall. In fact,
drought is not considered hazard;
in either state
Killing frosts in spring often
cause large losses in the peach in.
dustry. Let us see how the dates
Of the last killing frost in spring
compare with those of Georgia. In
the ten years. 1912-1921, inclu-
sixe. the last killing frost occur
red at Camden and Macon on the
same date for two years; it occur
red one day later at Camden than
az Macon in one year: and occur
red from eight to 49 days later
at Macon than at Camden for four
years. For three of these ten
years data is unavailable for Cam
den and therefore can not be COM
pared with Macon. During the same
years the last killing frest occur
red at Greenville and Toccea on
the same date for two years, Il
days later at Greenville than at
Teccoa for one year, and from
one to SO days. later at Toccoa
than at Greenville for seven years.
In comparing the last killing
frost date between Macon and
Greenville where there is a differ
ence of about two degrees latitude
and 6f9 feet in altitude we find that
during the years 1912-1921, inclu-
siFe. the last frost occurred on the
same date five years or one-half
the years OF the period. Four
years it occurred at Greenville
from one to IS days la.er than
at Macon. and one year Ga days
later at Macon than at Greenville.
In making the above comparisons
It must be remembered that peach
trees bloom in Georgia from ap-
proximately five days 20 two weeks
or more earlier than in South
Carolina. Trees at Macon bloom
about ten to Is days earlier than
at Greenvil.e. 1t must also be re-
psembered that after the fruit has
set peaches car endure IL tempera-
ture OF only % degrees +. for 80
minutes or less, but when in full
bloom a temperature of 26 degrees
r. will be endured for the same
length of tine. and when buds are
Sill closed but color showing a