North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Griffin Gardens" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>]

Kevin,

Interesting indeed. I called and talked to one of the McKay plant
specialists two years ago, having heard the prominent rumor that McKay and
Balmer were different names for the same peach. Ditto on the friendly
customer service as they went out of there way to find the guy that knew
about the McKay peach and he spent 20 minutes talking to me about it.
Saying: yes they are different - McKay found growing in a fence line at
their nursery and the Balmer farm is closer to the lake; good quality and
hardy but having the fault of being short lived ("I'm from MN, they're all
short lived")so just when they get into full production you should plant
its replacement. 

My two one year old McKays budded on Siberian C came through -29F last year
and both bloomed well enough to do some crosses on while the same age
Balmer on P.besseyi died back to the snow line. For comparison sake, 4 of 6
two year old Reliance/Bailey died outright and the other two are dead back
to two lower branches each. One on P. nigra died back to the snow line.

Dave 
central MN zone 4a


> [Original Message]
> From: Ed Forest 
> Subject: [NAFEX] Wisconsin Balmer
>
> Hmm, interesting, I have been meaning to get the Wisconsin Balmer for
years 
> now, finally I went to McKay nursery in Waterloo, WI last spring, waited
in 
> their fancy foyer, and waited, and finally someone called me to their
fancy 
> office and told me that the McKay peach was the only peach they carried
and 
> that it wasn't worth eating, strictly an ornamental tree. Crestfallen, I 
> left, resolved to be content with the Reliance and its seedlings I've got 
> going.
> Kevin Bradley
> (BTW Mckay are great folks, innovative and friendly, but not really into 
> fruit bearing stock)