The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-03-26
PEACH INDUSTRY TO BE
REVIVED ON PENINSULA
DIR. Il. c. Auchter Explains
Need OF Fruit

1
Delmarvia Peninsula should not re-
gain it's former prestige as the
premier peach growing territory in
/ the United States is the opinion of
Dr. F.. G. Auchter, head of the
Department of Horticulture, of the
University of Maryland. Time was
when Eastern Shore peaches were
as noted product as California or
Florida oranges are today. That
was thirty years ago, before ''peach
yellows" came and wiped out an
entire industry.
Shortly before the appearance of
the blight no section of the country
could compare with the Sho' as a
peach producing section. In the
past six or eight years, however, ex-
periments have shown that the
disease has entirely disappeared and
that orchards planted within that
time have shown no trace of it.
That was the statement of the
University savant who, with Prof.
w. E. Whitehouse, fruit growing
expert of the same institution, has
lust completed an extensive survey
of. the principal peach, pear and
apple orchards in the nine counties.
The specialists also maintain that
orchardists should use fertilizer con-
tanning nitrogen. Scientific tests
have proven that this ingredient is
the only salvation of the Eastern
Shore fruit trees and that it IS
especially adapted to the soil here
abouts. In connection with 500
peach and apple trees at Salisbury,
experimental plots fortified with
nitrate of soda, it is declared. have
shown three times the productive
power of check plots without ferti-
lizer.. The use of acid phosphate
and muriate of potash, stated DR..
Auchter, has shown negative re-
suits since these fertilizers contain
no nitrogen.
In the course of one of the most
important tours ever made in the
! interest of Shore orchards visits
were also made to the large straw
berry reservation of w. f. Allen, at
Hurlock. Experiments with 500
| fruit trees in the orchards of
lSenator Orlando Harrison, at Berlin.
| have proven that there also nitrate of
soda has brought the best results.
The prospect for peaches and pears
at Salisbury, Berlin and Hurlock, it
is said, is excellent. Near the
| Wicomico County seat, peach and
apple orchards were inspected.
\ There was discovered no. injury to
trees are budding WELL At the
Harrison plant special school for
twenty-five orchard foremen was
held. They were given an intensive
course of training for the spring
work which began last week. En-
gagged in this work of instruction and
demonstration was also P. d. San
ders, assistant State Entomologist.
Large fertilizer experiments are
now being started at the strawberry
reservation of P. j. Gunby, at
Marion, in Somerset county; at
w. F, Aliens patches near Sails
bury and at the University Of Mary
land branch experimental station at
Ridgeley. In each of these places
careful records will be preserved
. this year and a complete report will
be submitted before the annual
meeting next fall of the Maryland
Fruit Growers Association. These
experiments cover a wide range of
acreage, it is said, extending from
Carolina to Somerset counties, in
order to afford test of variety of
soils and crops. Orchardists in
Wicomico and Somerset counties,
stated DR.. Auchter, have already be-
gun to disc and cultivate their
orchards and growers of the upper
part of the Peninsula should follow
this practice not later than the
third week in this month.
Meanwhile a pruning demonstra-
ton was given by the experts in the
orchards of o. R. Higgins. at Har-
lock. A large number of orchardists
attended and it is said they will fol-
low the methods outlined and
demonstrated there. Spraying for
peach curl" should have started not
later than last Monday, it is de
clared, since this process should be
completed before the buds break
and few warm days will bring out
the buds. Nitrate of soda should
be applied to orchards not later than
the third week in March, adj
monished the fruit specialists. The
tour was completed by an inspection
of the large pear orchards of Mrs
Evelyn Harris, near Betterton. Kent
county, containing 10000 trees and
said to be the largest orchard of its
kind in the East Mrs. Harris has
| haan following the recommendations