Peaches for Pennsylvania

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Peaches

for Pennsylvania

By

JOHN P. STEWART, Ph.D.

Experimental Pomologist
State College, Pa.

S7,

should be headed at about 1 8 to 24 inches, and from three to five
limbs may be used in forming the framework for the tops. In later
pruning, the main objects are to keep the annual growth well headed
back, thus avoiding undue increase in height, and to keep the tops
fairly open in order to secure light and ventilation for the fruit.

Culture, Thinning and Picking.

As to cultural methods, peaches are generally considered to
require more thorough and continuous tillage than apples. The till-
age and cropping methods described for the latter in Bulletin 106,
however, if thoroughly carried out, will generally prove satisfactory.

The proper use of fertilizers on peaches is a matter of some
debate. Judging from analyses, peaches are more exhaustive on the
land than any other fruit crop. But in spite of this, the value of
fertilization is questioned by some growers, especially if they are
making good use of cover crops. It is an interesting fact, however,
that in Niagara county, N. Y., on nearly 3,000 acres of peaches it
was found that over 87 per cent, of the acreage was receiving ferti-
lizer of some kind.^ Also the average return for five years from
those orchards receiving manure was $26 per acre higher than that
from the unfertilized orchards, and the return from those receiving
both manure and commercial fertilizer was $46 per acre higher than
from the unfertilized. This would indicate that a judicious use of
fertilization should prove profitable in many cases. Care should be
taken, however, not to stimulate growth unduly and especially not
to prolong the seasonal growth so much as to prevent the entrance
upon winter with well-seasofied wood.

Thinning is essential whenever the trees are unduly loaded. It
is regularly practiced by all commercial growers. It enables the
fruit to attain proper size, aids in the control of rot and avoids un-
necessary exhaustion of the tree. Over-production and starvation
are among the leading causes of failure and early decline in the
avei^age peach orchard. The thinning is done usually in the latter
part of June, after the "June drop," leaving no peaches less than
4 to 6 inches apart, and removing especially those that are defective.

The proper time for picking depends largely upon the time re-
quired in reaching market. It also naturally depends much upon
the carrying qualities of the variety and the cooling and shipping
facilities available. The best color, quality and size are undoubtedly
attained by permitting the fruit to ripen on the tree. When con-
siderable time must elapse before reaching market, however, this
is impracticable. In such cases, the fruit should be picked enough
in advance to enable it to ripen in transit and approximately reach
its prime when it arrives at the market. The softening of occasional
specimens will aid in determining the right time foir picking, but
more detailed directions can hardly be given.

iData from an orchard survey of Niagara County, made by Cornell Uni-
versity. Data furnished by M. B. Cummings, now of University of Ver-
mont, Nov. 1908.

3
Important Difficulties.

Important obstacles to success with peaches are yellows, brown
rot, and borers.^ Regular mounding and cutting-out is probably
the surest method of control for the latter and is most generally
practiced, though a safe and efficient covering would be most wel-
come and may be found in the sediment or sludge formed in mak-
ii:g lime-sulphur. It should be renewed whenever any important
breaks occur in the coating, however.

The mound or cover should be in place during the egg-laying
period, which extends from about the middle of June to the middle
of September in this State. The "mound" is formed by dragging
up the earth all around the base of the tree to a height of 8 or lo
inches. Any protective covering should extend from about two or
three inches below the general surface of the ground to a height of
15 or 20 inches. It is also well to remember that most of those
that have been recommended are decidedly worthless.

In hunting the borers, which may be done either before or
after the egg-laying period, it is well to have cheap labor go ahead
and remove the soil, with hoes or other appropriate tools, and re-
liable men to follow and remove the "worms" after the bark has
dried and their discolorations become more evident.

Yellows.

Peach yellows is an apparently contagious disease of unknown
cause, for true cases of which there is now no remedy. It is import-
ant that one be able to recognize its symptoms, however, in order
to remove the affected trees at the earliest opportunity and thus pre-
vent its spread to those adjacent, with the resulting rapid destruction
of the orchard. The most prominent marks of the disease are
premature ripening of red-spotted fruit,'' and tufts of vertical, wil-
lowy shoots, which appear on the branches or main limbs. Earlier
and less evident symptoms are as follows: In a well-cultivated or-
chard, part of an apparently healthy tree stops growing, the leaves
at the bases of its twigs droop, roll at the edges,* and turn yellow
or reddish-green. Also leaf buds and blossoms may be prematured,
— ^the acceleration amounting in some cases to a few days only,
while in others it may even cause them to start in the fall.

The disease is reported as likely to appear first in wet and
poorly-drained areas; and most of the symptoms are apparently
likely to be aggravated by winter-injury or other checks, especially
checks to the transfer of food or starch. The recognition and treat-
ment of the disease would be relatively easy if it were not for the
fact that the same influences which aggravate the symptoms of yel-
lows seem able to produce a good imitation of the disease.

These imitations are usually curable by good orchard practice,

iTbe San Jose scale is, of course, also an important enemy of the peach,
but it is more easily controlled than on the apple, and in the same manner.

^The red spots are in the flesh.

'The rolling at the edges under these conditions is said to distinguish
the disease from "Little Peach."

4

especially by heavy pruning and judicious nitrogen application. But
the true cases are apparently only covered up temporarily by such
treatment and in the meantime are menacing the general health of
the orchard. The best procedure, therefore, is to eliminate so far
as possible, the influences that tend to develop the "imitation yel-
lows" by maintaining the best possible orchard practice and then
destroying on sight all cases that do appear, on the assumption that
they are true cases of yellows.

Brown Rot, Scab, and Curculio Treatment.

The control of brown rot also involves that of the curculio and
incidentally secures the control of peach scab or black spot which
usually mars or destroys so much unsprayed fruit. A very satis-
factory plan for this purpose is the one advised by Scott, of the
Bureau of Plant Industry. It is rapidly becoming the regular prac-
tice of commercial peach growers. With slight modifications, the
plan is as follows :^

(i) About the time the calyces (or shucks) are shedding, spray
with arsenate of lead at the rate of two pounds to 50 gallons of
water. In order to reduce the caustic properties of the poison, add
milk of lime made from slaking two pounds of stone lime.

(2) About three or four weeks after the calyces drop, spray
with 8-8-50 self-boiled lime-sulphur and two pounds of arsenate of
lead.

(3) About one month before the fruit ripens, spray with 8-8-50
self-boiled lime-sulphur or with 1.003 lime-sulphur solution, omit-
ting the poison.

The use of the clear solution in the third spray is handier,
cheaper and avoids any important staining of the fruit, which may
be quite serious with the self-boiled lime-sulphur in the last spray.
The self-boiled is the only safe material to use in combination with
commercial lead arsenate in the second spray, however. Our present
experiments indicate that a strictly neutral ortho-arsenate of lead,
Ph3 (As04)2, is safest with lime-sulphur solutions, but even this
combination cannot be recommended unconditionally on peaches as
yet.

Varieties.

The following list gives the principal varieties now in cultiva-
tion in the State, so far as the writer has been able to learn. It also
includes some varieties that, judging by their behavior elsewhere,
are of probable value here, and some that are widely known but are
rather undesirable, as indicated by the accompanying descriptions.
Further selection should, of course, be made on the basis of local ex-
perience and market. Six or eight varieties well distributed through

^For full discussion of the preparation and use of self-boiled lime-sul-
phur, see Farmers' Bulletin 440, pp. 33-40, obtainable from the Department
of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

the season are usually ample for the commercial orchard. These
may well be selected from the following group of varieties, with the
aid of our descriptions given later, supplemented by local inquiry:
Greensboro, St. John, Waddell, Carman, Hiley, Champion, Belle,
Ede, Elberta, Stump, Crosby, Fox, Smock, Iron Mountain, Stevens
and Salway. This group gives a succession from early July to
October, and the varieties are named approximately in order of
ripening.

The relative commercial value of the varieties is indicated by
stars. Two stars (**) indicate those considered fully commercial;
one star, those considered limited commercial. The others may be
valuable commercially in some places when they are better known
or they may be useful in home orchards.

The indications are intended especially for the location in which
peaches are known to thrive. But even for them, local experience
and especially the season of ripening with reference to market con-
ditions may often require some modifications. Thus a variety may
do well in a certain locality, but not be profitable because the mar-
ket, at its season of ripening, is supplied with better fruit of another
variety, possibly from another locality. This accounts for the fact
that in some localities only those peaches ripening with Elberta or
later are reported profitable, while in others many of the earlier
sorts are very satisfactory. Study your market and fill in the gaps
is a good general rule.

In the list, the hardier varieties, — those apparently adapted to
the more rigorous sections, — are marked with a dagger. All varie-
ties are named approximately in order of ripening, with the ex-
ceptions that the varieties in each of the following groups seem
from available data to be of practically the same seasons. St. John
and Bishop; Waddell, Lewis and Connet; Mountain Rose, Cham-
pion and Oldmixon Free; Niagara and Reeves; Ede, Bokhara and
Engle ; Crosby and Chairs ; Geary, McCollister and Smock ; Stevens
and Salway. There is also more or less overlapping in season with
many of the other adjacent varieties.

Sneed.^ Early July. White,^ cling. Tree has broad leaves:
usually a heavy bearer and small unless thinned, low quality and not
valuable commercially.

Victor. White, semi-cling. Rather resistant to rot.' Much
better than Sneed in quality; entirely red when ripe.

Triumph. f Yellowish-red, free. One of the extra early
peaches, of medium size and quality, probably suitable for home use
or local market, but usually not desirable commercially because of
great susceptibility to rot.

Greensboro.f* White, semi-cling. Tree very hardy and pro-
lific; probably the earliest peach of any material commercial value.
Fruit large, reported resistant to rot,' but rather delicate textured
for distant shipment and only medium quality. Pick when apex be-
gins to soften.

iFor the meaning of stars, daggers, etc., see page 5.
^Refers to color of flesh.

3"Resistent" is not used in the sense of "immune,'' but means less sus-
ceptible than most others.

St. John.* Yellow, free. One of the standards in Ontario and
also reported very satisfactory in Delaware. Quality good. Often
quite subject to rot, but this can be controlled by proper spraying.

Bishop. White, free. Reported one of the most satisfactory
early peaches in the mountain orchards of West Virginia. Fruit
large and very good. Worthy of trial in southern Pennsylvania.

WaddelLf White, free. Rather poor grower, but very pro-
lific. Long blooming period and hence said to be less susceptible to
frost injury. Medium in size and quality. Ripens too near Car-
man for best success.

Lewis.f Yellowish-white, free. One of the hardiest peaches
and much valued generally for commercial use. Fruit medium to
large and very good. Of Michigan origin.

Connet.*t White, semi-cling. Another hardy variety which
is reported unusually satisfactory in the mountain orchards of West
Virginia. It ripens with Lewis and is said to be fully as productive,
finer looking, and much freer from rot. Fruit large and very good.
Apparently worthy of extensive trial in this state. A seedling of
Chinese cling.

Carman.**t White, semi-cling. Probably best of its season
for market. Fruit large and of good quality. Ripens early in
August. Tree very hardy and productive, one of the latest in blos-
soming.

Hiley*t (Early Belle). White, free. Regular, but not pro-
lific. Good shiooer, uneven ripener. Much grown in Georgia.

Mt. Rose. White, free. High quality, often irregular in size
and subject to rot; good for home use and local market, if picked
while firm.

Champion*t (Illinois). Creamy white, free or often semi-
cling. Among the highest in quality, excellent for canning, mod-
erate bearer, medium shipper. Somewhat susceptible to rot, but
preventable by proper spraying.

Oldmixon Free.* White, free. One of the old favorites, but
apparently losing in favor in some parts of this state. High quality
and prolific, but reported as often dropping before attaining full
color.

Early Crawford. Yellow, free. A standard peach in many
regions, but apparently losing favor in this state on account of shy
bearing.

Niagara.* Yellow, free. Supposed to be a seedling or pos-
sibly a bud-sport of Early Crawford' and reported a heavier bearer.
Fruit equal to it in quality and of larger size. Considered promis-
ing, though not sufficiently tried to warrant unqualified recommen-
dation.

Reeves (Favorite). Yellow, free. Excellent quality, and one
of the old favorites, but often shy bearer; especially so on heavy
soils.

Thurber.* White, free. Prolific, good shipper ; valuable where
a white peach is acceptable.

'See Cornell Bulletin 262 : 282 for account of the origin of this peach.

7

Belle**t {of Georgia). White, free. Early and heavy bearer ;
reported best of its season. Hardy in bud and very high quahty.
Ripens in late August or early September and must be watched as
picking time approaches, as it ripens quickly.

Engle (Mammoth). Yellow, free. One of the best commer-
cial peaches in Michigan, being reported preferable to Elberta for
profit. Not sufficiently tried for recommendation.

Ede**t (Captain Bde). Yellow, free. Very productive and
uniform in fruit. Early in bearing. Excellent for canning ; quality
very good.

Bokhara.t Yellow, free. Said to be the hardiest desirable
peach in Iowa. Quality fair. Value in Pennsylvania unknown,
though apparently worthy of limited trial in the more rigorous sec-
tions.

Elberta.** Yellow, free. The standard commercial peach and
the variety most widely planted throughout the country, though dis-
tinctly less valuable than some others in certain localities of this
state. Fruit very large and excellent carrier, but quality is only
medium. Quality, as well as appearance, is much improved by
proper maturing on the tree.

Chairs* (Choice). Yellow, free. Another strong grower and
often tardy in bearing, but very satisfactory with increasing age in
certain orchards of southern Pennsylvania. Fruit large and good,
tapering to apex.

Crosby.f Yellow, free or occasionally semi-cling. One of
the hardiest in bud, and of high quality. Fruit tends to run a trifle

small for market, unless heavily thinned. Very heavy and regular
bearer.

Late Crawford.** Yellow, free. An old favorite, grown
across thfe continent. Reported among the most profitable varieties
in certain orchards of the state, while considered rather shy in
others. The successes are in dry, airy locations, with rather light
soil and thorough cultivation and other care. Said to be less satis-
factory than Early Crawford in New Jersey.

Ray. White, free. A relatively new peach of Mississippi ori-
gin, that is doing very well in Eastern Pennsylvania, especially with
H. S. Snavely near Lebanon. Tree stocky, good grower and very
productive. Fruit larger than Belle and about equal to Oldmixon.
Flesh white to the pit, good quality, though not quite as good as
Oldmixon. Apt to ripen up quickly like Belle.

•Stuirtp.* White, free. Very widely planted, and reported
fine in some places in the state, while in others it seems to be less
successful.

Fox* (Seedling). White, free. Apparently one of the most
desirable for its season. Growth vigorous and somewhat tardy in
bearing. Fruit of medium size and quality.

Mathews (Beauty). Yellow, free. A strong grower, rather
tardy in bearing. Fruit very large and good seller, but reported
shy and generally unprofitable in the mountain orchards of West
Virginia. Has done well with Dr. Funk in eastern Pennsylvania.

Said to be difficult to get true to name and is reported by some to
ripen after Smock.

Geary* {Hold on). Yellow, free. Among the most profitable
in the orchards of D. M. Wertz, Franklin county. The soil there is
light,^ well elevated and has a good moisture supply. Fruit is firm
and of good quality. Closely resembles Smock in tree and fruit.

McCoUister.* Yellow, free. Another of the leaders in Wertz's
orchard ; closely resembles the next variety in character of fruit and
season.

Smock.** Yellow, free. This variety and Salway have done
best in the orchards named above, and both are very highly recom-
mended by other growers in our leading peach sections. They ap-
parently do best in the conditions described for Geary.

Iron Mountain.f White, semi-cling. Considered desirable in
some of the more rigorous sections, on account of hardiness. Qual-
ity medium.

Stevens* (i?arm/i^). Creamy white, free. Tree vigorous and
upright grower, and rather tardy but good bearer. Fruit large,
good quality, and profitable because of lateness.

Salway.** Yellow, free. One of the very best under proper
conditions, but not good on low or heavy soil. See discussion under
Smock. A very sure cropper and excellent market peach. Season
about same as Stevens, early to mid-October.

^Classified by Bureau of Soils as Mont Alto fine sandy loam.

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