The peach
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Peach cultures
Regardless of the considerable economical importance of the peach, and the fact of the environment being in many districts favorable to this fruit tree, its growing till the latest time has not been very common in Georgia.
The peach tree initiates bearing early, yielding already on the third year. Under good conditions it produces much and when managed carefully bears annually. The using period is of long duration as there are many sorts maturing at different époques. In Georgia the earliest sorts ripen in June, continually followed by others till the end of October.
Being considered as an excellent wholesome fruit, the peach is greatly in demand. It is used not only fresh, but is dried as well as largely employed in the canning industry. Regardless of all that, the peach has not acquired due importance in agriculture, what may be accounted for from the fact of its fruits standing storage and shipping very poorly. The obtainment of peaches of a good quality depends upon the picking them in a fully ripe condition. If not, they lack aroma, juice, sweetness and other qualities characteristic of this fruit.
In Georgia the peach trees remain under exploitation for a period of 12-15 years, after what they are substituted by new ones. This too has hindered the development of the peach culture, making it less important as compared with other fruit crops. But lately this situation has completely changed.
Presently there are three canning factories working in Georgia, with a capacity of 200 millions of conventional cans annually, and liable of more enlargement. These factories want raw materials; the peach may conveniently serve as such for it gives an excellent product when canned and at the same time would busy the factories for a comparatively long while.
The application during last years of the cold industry and the shipping of fruits by air stimulate greatly the peach culture in resolving the problem of sale.
To meet the increasing demand of fresh as well as of canned peaches a plan for laying out orchards and distributing the production has recently been worked out.
Areas of distribution of peach crops in Georgia
Not in all the districts of Georgia the peach culture has the same character. It has commercial importance in the districts of Gori, Caspi, Tbilissi, Gurdjaani, Telavi, Kutaissi, Samtredia, Gudauti, Sukhumi and Gali.
East Georgia
District of Gori
In the district of Gori the peach occupies an area of 175 hectares approximately, or 2‚8% of continuous orchards in this district, or 8‚5% of the number of fruit trees. Relatively to drupes, the area under peaches makes up 31% or 57% of the total number of drupe fruit trees.
In the Gori district peach culture is distributed not uniformly. The main plantations are found in the following selsoviets: Gori, Tkviavi (village Plavi), Kveti (village Plavismani), Atheni, Khidistavi, Skrini, Shindissi and Medjvriskhevi.
The greatest quantity of peaches delivers the Medjvriskhevi selsoviet, though as to quality and choice of sorts the best selsoviets are those of Atheni and Khidistavi.
The selsoviets of the Gori district are dissimilar too in climate and soil conditions. Records for many years of Gori meteorological station quoted hereafter give only an approximate idea of this district’s climate. The ununiform topography causes as well dissimilarities in the microclimate of different localities.
The mean annual temperature of soil is 10‚9°, with an absolute minimum of 25‚5° in February, and a maximum of 34‚2° in August. First autumn frosts, according to records for many years, occur from the 20 September, till the 15 November; last spring frosts from 24 March till 4 May.
Annual precipitation is not more than 450 mm.
The open valley of the Kur is characterized by considerable oscillations of temperature.
The warmest sub-district is situated in the Atheni gorge, where fruits ripen earlier than in other selsoviets of the Gori district. Here continuous peach orchards are frequent, though the use of planting peaches among vines is practised as well. The cultivated sorts are propagated by grafting mainly on the peach, sometimes on the Cherry Plums. Planted are one year old transplants in spring. Pruning consists of emundation and of shortening the one year old shoots. Crimean pruning for substitution is not much practised.
In the Gori district for the most part local sorts are cultivated, while foreign ones are given less space.
The greatest part of the crop is delivered to the canning factory, and partly brought to the Tbilissi market.
The worst damages are caused through the disease called „leaf curl“ instigated by the fungus o Exoasas cus deformans Fel. Clasterosporium Carpophilum, causing „mottle leaf“, also impairs the yields considerably.
Among pests Tortricidae is rather common, injuring in preference young trees in orchards and nurseries. Some years peaches suffer from Aphis persica niger.
Caspi district
The district of Caspi occupies the second place as to the peach culture distribution, soil (carbonate of brown loam on diluvial sediments) and climate (minimal temperature -15°) being here favorable, though irrigation needed.
The peach tree is found in continuous plantations, or as single specimens scattered among vineyards, or in strip cultivation with pome fruit trees.
The crop is used fresh, meeting a ready sale on the local as well as on the Tbilissi market. There is a great diversity in the sort composition. Sorts of all the maturation periods can be met. The greatest part of them is of local origin. Among foreign sorts are common: Amsden, Hall’s early, Elberta.
Tbilissi district
The Tbilissi district comprises two sub-districts: those of the Tbilissi suburb and of Mukhrani.
The climate of the Tbilissi suburban sub-district is mild, minimal temperature being - 10°. For many years first frosts are recorded from 20 October till 5 December and last spring frosts from 29 February till 27 April. So the climate conditions prove to be favorable to early and to late sorts of peaches.
Here (Ortatchala, Avtchala, Digomi) continuous plantations of peach trees are met.
The sort composition is influenced by the vicinity of the market. Predominate American early sorts: Amsden, Alexander, River’s early, Hall’s early and Elberta, local sorts being met infrequently (Digomi).
The Mukhrani sub-district belongs to the warm zone, with an annual average temperature of 10‚8°. First autumn frosts are recorded from 10 October till 20 November, spring last frosts from 13 April till 27 April. Here the peach culture has considerable importance. Peach trees are met in continuous plantations in strip cultivation with pome fruit trees in young orchards, and in vineyards.
In the exceedingly diversified sort composition prevail peaches of local origin.
Fruits are used fresh and shipped to Tbilissi.
Kakheti district
In Kakhetia the peach culture is practised principally in the Gurdjaani and Telavi districts, while in the Signakhi, Kvareli and Lagodekhi districts it is given only limited space. Peaches from these first two districts are famous for their excellent flavor.
Carbonate soils and climate are here particularly favorable to peach culture.
The warmest district is that of Lagodekhi where minimal temperature does not fall lower than 10° and humidity is high, with 953 mm. annual precipitation.
The Gurdjaani and Signakhi districts are also warm with the same minimal temperature and 600 mm. annual precipitation.
The Telavi district belongs to the moderately warm zone, annual precipitation being here 806 mm.
In Kakhetia there are no continuous plantations of peach trees; they are generally met in vineyards, local sorts prevailing. Propagation is practised by means of sowing stones, the local sorts manifesting a sufficiently high economical constance.
Fruits are used fresh or dried.
The above mentioned districts of Kakhetia belong perspectively to the number of those, where peach culture will be undergoing further development.
West Georgia
In some districts of western Georgia the plantations of peach trees occupy a considerable place.
Kutaissi district
In the Kutaissi district peach culture is especially common for the selsoviets of Tskhaltubo,Gvibtishi, Kvilishori, Parukanakanebi, Tsunkuri, Osurgheti, Maglaki, Rioni and Mekhveti.
As to climate, for the Kutaissi district following evidence for many years is recorded; annual average temperature +14‚5°, minimal temperature - 8°. Absolute minimal temperature – 9,1°.Humidity excessive. Annual precipitation is 1276 mm. First autumn frosts fall between 8 November and 25 December, last spring frosts between 20 February and 29 March.
Due to mildness of climate fruits ripen early.
Strong winds prevailing in the region cause dropping of fruits, lowering yieids to a considerable extent.
There are nearly no continuous plantations, for the most part peach trees being planted in home orchards among other fruit trees. They are propagated by grafting or sowing.
Among diseases „leaf curl“ and Mildew (Sphaeroteca panse) and among pests Aphis are recorded.
Early sorts prevail: Amsden, Hall’s early and others. Peaches are shipped to rather far destinations. Amsden arrives at Tbilissi by the end of June. Other sorts (summer and fall) are delivered to the canning factory.
Samtredia district
In the district of Samtredia the conditions of peach growing are nearly the same as in that of Kutaissi.
Peach trees are planted in home orchards, early sorts prevailing. Because of the particularly favorable conditions of climate and soil the peaches ripen earlier than those of the same sorts in other districts. They are shipped abroad or go to the Samtredia jam factory.
Tkibuli district
The Tkibuli district lies in the highland of the moderately warm zone. Annual average temperature is +12,2°. First autumn frosts fall between 19 October and 15 December, last spring frosts between 1 March and 12 April. Humidity is rather high. Annual precipitation is 1588 mm.
The mountainous situation mitigates the influence of wind, making it less injurious if compared with the above mentioned districts. New plantations of peach tree are laid out on the slope of the hill, continuously or in strip cultivation with young apple trees.
Abkhasia
In Abkhasia peach culture is rather common. It is mainly practised in the Gudauti, Sukhumi and Gali districts.
Gudauti district
Climate and soil of the Gudauti district are quite favorable for the development of the peach tree, which is grown in continuous orchards. Prevail American and European sorts, selected on the base of observations for many years, local population being from old acquainted with the peach culture.
The famous peach growing economies of Lopatine and Ugrinovitch contributed greatly to the propagation of this culture and to the selection of a commercial assortment. The object of their selection was the obtainment of an uninterrupted succession of a commercial assortment. The object of their selection was the obtainment of an uninterrupted succession of sorts ripening their crops one after the other. Some of the numerous introduced sorts have shown good performance and were given place in the standard assortment, for instance, Amsden, Hall’s early, Elberta, Salwey and others.
Sukhumi district
In the Sukhumi district peach growing is commonly practised in the second zone, having an annual average temperature + 14‚5° and annual precipitation 1450 mm.
Here we find continuous plantations of peach trees. They are propagated by grafting. The leading sorts are Amsden, Elberia, Sukhumi orange and Khidistavi yellow late.
Fruits are used fresh and delivered to the canning factory. Excepting diseases met in common with other districts here occur cases of the bacterial cancer (Bacterium tumefaciens) infection.
Gali district
In the Gali district the peach tree is met often enough, though not in continuous plantations, if those of the latest years be excluded, but among other fruit trees in home orchards. Prevail local sorts, which are propagated by sowing. They have no particular appelations being distinguished as to their stone, free or clinging.
The local sorts are sufficiently resistant to fungus diseases which damage foreign ones greatly
Fruits are used at home.
Characteristics of the peach sorts
The sorts of peaches existing in the regions of Georgia may be segregated into four groups.
I group: local sorts with large fruits and definite appellations, having valuable economical peculiarities.
II group: local sorts with small fruits; here belong the many forms appeared in the result of propagation by stones.
III group: sorts of American and European origin, a long time ago introduced to Georgia. These are for the most part early sorts, having in some of the regions considerable importance.
IV group: new sorts introduced for trial, which may be regarded as perspective sorts, wanting only a wide practical trial.
The commercial assortment for the region of the Georgian comprises the I and II groups. Characteristics of the peach sorts belonging to the first two groups are given in volume I of the present Atlas. Here we offer the descriptions of peach referring to the III and IV groups.
