AMYGDALACE/E. II. Persica. 



491 



^ 



year, and retaining a plentiful supply of good lateral shoots in 

 all parts of the tree. If any blank is to be filled up, some 

 conveniently-placed strong shoot is shortened in June to a few 



lected heat pass 70°, rather employ the opportunity to admit a 

 free circulation of air. M'Phail, beginning in February, keeps 

 the thermometer to about 55'^^ increasing it as the days lengthen; 



eyes, in order that it may throw out laterals. Sir Joseph Banks, when the fruit is set and swelling, raise it to 60° with fire heat ; 

 in speaking of the culture of p^acAe^ at Montreuil, near Paris when the sun shines, let it rise to 65° or 70^ with air. A short time 

 (Hort. trans, vol. 1. append.) says, " Much advantage is de- before the fruit begins to ripen, from 55^ to 70° is not too mucli 

 rived from the practice of rubbing off the leaf-buds from the with fire heat, and when the sun shines let it rise a little above 



75^, In a house, begun to force on the 1st of February, Nicol 



begins with 45*^ for the first fortnight, and then increases the 



not only leave the remaining wood to grow stronger and to heat to 50^ or 52**. The times of regulation are supposed to be 



ripen sooner, but it naturally increases the size of the fruit. at 6 or 7 o'clock in the morning and 8 or 9 o'clock at night. At 



'"'*'*"' * - - - the end of the month the temperature is to be kept as steadily 



seldom 



fruit-bearing branches, leaving only as many as are wanted to 

 produce wood for the succeeding year. The taille d'ete does 



The fruit is thinned after the stoning season, as already de- 

 scribed for thinm'ng of wall fruit." In a peach-house, in a state as possible to 55^. In two months keep it to about G6^^ 

 of bearing, when the fruit is swelling oflT, in order that it may allowing it to pass 70**, which if it does, will have the effect 

 attain a greater degree of perfection, such leaves and summer of drawing the shoots up weak, and may cause the setting fruit 

 slioots as overhang and shade the fruit are taken off or thinned. to drop. He recommends 60** by fire heat, mornings and even- 

 The leaves oi peach trees '* may be dressed off," when the wood ings, as proper after the fruit are fairly stoned. T. A. Knight 

 u ripened, by the use of a withy or small cane, which is more finds that neither peaches nor nectarines acquire perfection cither 



necessary in a house than if the trees were growing in the open 

 air, where the wind or frost may make them tumble down fast. 



in richness or flavour, unless they be exposed to the full in- 

 fluence of the air and sun dunW their last swellinfir, without 



In the newly-planted peach-house the dwarfs must be well cut the intervention of the glass. In consequence, he sajs, some 



in, in order to make them push shoots freely for furnishing the gardeners take off the lights wholly before the fruit begins to 

 trellis ~" - . . . - . _ .. . - . .... _. _ . . 



next season. Those situated in the lower and middle ripen, but he recommends taking them off only in bright sun- 

 parts of the tree should be cut back to half their lengths, or to shine, and putting them on during rain, and at night to protect 



the fruit from dews, &c. 



Air. — A constant stream of fresh air is to be admitted before 

 beginning to force, and plenty of air, when the sun shines, 



" when 



a few buds, less or more according to their strength ; and those 



of the extremities to one-third or to about half their lengths, also 



according to their strength, and how well they have been ri- ^ ^ 



pened. They should be thinned so at this time, as that the during the whole progress of forcing. M'Phail says, 



snoots which are to issue from them next season may be laid in ' " " ' 



at the medium distance of about 6 inches. The riders need 



not he pruned near so much as the dwarfs, as they are wished 



to produce a crop of fruit the following season, shortening no 



snoots that are fully ripened, except a few of those at the ex- 



treinities of the tree, in order to make them throw out others 



m\i^ full extension upwards next year. 



ottrring the soil. — The borders are to be pointed and forked 

 "P after pruning, and a little well- rotted dung or compost added 

 ^ere deemed necessary. That part of the border on the out- 



the fruit is set and swelling, give the house air every day, whether 

 the sun shine or not. Give plenty of air, and keep the house 

 dry when the fruit begins to ripen." When the intention is to 

 begin to force on the first of February, Nicol shuts up the house 

 from the middle of January, admitting plenty of free air through 

 the day. During the first month of forcing, he admits air freely 

 " every day, even in frosty weather, by the sashes, till the 

 flowers begin to expand, after which time by the ventilators, 

 except in fresh weather, till the season become mild." Air 

 should be admitted all this month to such an extent as to keep 



J^ay in addition be covered with dung, and afler forcing down the temperature in sunshine to within 5^ of the fire heat 

 's commenced, those in the inside may be occasionally watered medium, and this in order to strengthen the buds as they break. 



^th the drainings of the dung-hill— /va/. 324 anrf438. 



ime of beginning to force. — From the rise of the sap, ac- 



oraing to Abercrombie, it occupies, in some sorts, about 4 



months to make mature fruit ; in the later varieties 5 months , 



♦v5 ,^^ piuch of winter is included in the course of forcing, 



time is proportionably lengthened. To ripen moderately 



the 



^ly kinds 



December. 



^^y put on 

 admittin 



by the end of May, begin to force on the 21st of 

 Little is gained by commencing sooner. But vou 



and that the young shoots may spring in a vigorous manner 

 Admit large portions of air every day when the fruit is swelling 

 off, except in damp weather, from 7 or 8 o'clock in the morning 

 to 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening, opening the sashes to their 

 fullest extent, from 10 to 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, givnig 

 and reducing gradually, &c. 



Watering and steaming. " While the fruit is in blossom," 

 Abercrombie observes, " steaming the flues must be substi- 



the glasses a week before, and make gentle fires, tuted for watering over the leaves ; at the same time you may 



J., -":-6 a constant stream of fresh air, to get the house ready. water the roots nou- and then gently, avoiding such a copious 



. Pnail says, ** Those who wish to have peaches and nectarines supply as might risk the dropping of the fruit to be set. Let 



"Pe in May, should beffin to force them about the beginning or the water be warmed to the air of the house." M'Phail directs 

 "^ddle of December." > - - - 



Jost gardeners 

 february. He 

 ^fast. 



For a general crop, Nicol, Weeks, and 

 recommend forcing to begin in the month of 

 says it is much better to force too slow than 



to keep the border moist by watering ; and after the fruit are 

 as big as nuts, sprinkle the flues now and then with water, to 

 raise steam, and wash the trees about once a week with clean 

 water, not too cold, 

 till the fruit are set. A sunshiny morning is to be preferred, 



^ **v^*xi ouii iicai, miu use iii o, xv*w..j^..<- w, *^ miu. and the water may be about G5**. Do not water after the fruit 



^ 50^ max. from sun heat; in the progress of the second begins to ripen, but recommence when it is all gathered (Gard. 

 lortnJnrKf , ' . «°. « -. .. .. __ ^^^ ^ j^g^ ^^^ jpj^^ Newly planted peach trees should be 



^^P^^'<^iwe.—AherQxomh\e directs to begin at 42° min. 

 and /ao^^^' ^^^^ ^"" \ie2it, and rise in a fortnight to 45 

 fort * u ^^^' ^^^^ ^^^ heat; in the progress of 

 night augment the temperature from 3 to S deg 

 ^ nave It at the close up to 53° --" -"'^ ^^-"^ ^^^ 



r^h admittin^r air in snm^ ^Prrr. 



It is better not to wash all over the top 



rees, so as 

 max. from sun 



in K? ^*^^'^g air m some degree daily, 

 oiossom, let the heat be SS"" min, and 60 



IS set, 



thi k ^'^^ fruit IS set, men raise \uc uiiiiiiiiuiu iw u^y 



air ^^^"^^^fi^^'al maximum to es"", in order to allow of giving 



, , _ freely supplied with water at the roots throughout the season, in 



When the trees are order to promote their growth ; and the engine must be applied 



with force to the branches for the suppression of the red spider, 

 and refreshing the foliage, generally once in two or three days 

 (Gard. kal. p. 358). In a fruit-bearing house, after the fruit 

 is set, water should be given pretty freely to the plants at the 

 Sk 2 



max. Continue to 

 then raise the minimum to 60^ 



