Worrell | | | | * | | | | | * | Yellow Rareripe| | | * | | | | | * | | Yellow Swan | | | | * | | | * | | | ========================================================================= The peach seldom suffers from hot weather in New York. The fruit is sometimes injured in the full blaze of the sun but the foliage usually furnishes ample protection against such injury. On the other hand, for a finely finished product the peach must have an unclouded sun and ample air, these conditions giving high color and full flavor. The peach requires less moisture than most other fruits--its original home was on the desert's edge in Asia. In New York the rainfall is usually quite sufficient in all peach-regions for this crop, the exception being, possibly, in the southern part of the Central Lakes region, where, in the lands adapted to the peach, the soil is often thin and drought, season after season, lays heavily on the land. The peach in New York more often suffers from too much rain than too little. Cold, wet weather in blooming time is the fruit-grower's vernal bane in this State and rain not infrequently prevents a set of peaches even in localities where the spring rainfall is light. Monthly and seasonal "means" of precipitation, especially of the month of May, are of considerable importance in determining the desirability of a locality for peaches. There are several other phases of climate usually of but local application which sometimes become of vital importance to the peach-grower and must receive attention in selecting an orchard-site. The direction, force and frequency of prevailing winds during the blooming and ripening periods; the liability to hail storms; the amount of cloudiness in the summer months; the nature and degree of seasonal variations; the degree of humidity of the atmosphere as related to fungus diseases, especially the dreaded brown-rot; and the frequency of drouths are all problems to be solved before planting the peach. SOILS FOR PEACHES After climate, soil has been the next most potent natural influence in determining the location of the peach-regions of the State and of individual orchards in the several regions. The peach, of all fruits, is most particular as to soils; though, and this seems not generally understood, the physical condition of the land is quite as important as the kind of soil. That is, the peach grows well on a rather wide range of soils if the land be well drained, well aerated and if it hold heat. All subsequent treatment fails, whatever the soil, if the root-run be impeded by water or lack of air and if there be not the stimulus of considerable bottom-heat. These physical conditions modify greatly what is to be said in the next paragraph in regard to the kind of soil.