JUNE. 175 



has been the case, a weak growth and a great number of abortive fruit- 

 buds the following spring are the result. Your able correspondent, 

 Mr. Saul, very justly lays great stress on this as an important point 

 in fruit-tree culture, in which I entirely concur. 



At page ] 09, I gave directions relative to keeping the borders dry 

 after the middle of August. As, however, the border becomes filled 

 with roots, it will require to be well supplied with water in dry weather 

 up to that time ; and where the trees are in full bearing, manure 

 water may be given in July and the beginning of August, to assist the 

 swelling iruit. 1 on no account advise strong ammoniacal liquid manure 

 for the Peach — such as guano water, and water made from stable 

 dung — but prefer the soakings from a cow-yard, or made with cow and 

 pig manure, as more cooling and suitable to the Peach. If the border 

 is well watered up to the middle of August, our directions at page 109 

 may afterwards be put in force. When the fruit begins to colour, go 

 over the trees and hnally lay in any stray wood omitted, and likewise 

 remove any leaves which may shade the fruit too much ; they will by 

 these means get a high colour and flavour. I leave the protecting of 

 the fruit from wasps and flies, as within the reach and comprehension 

 of all. Avoid, however, wrapping the fruit in cotton wool, as I see 

 many do, as the iruit is never good-flavoured, and in wet weather this 

 plan spoils more than the insect^. The hexagonal netting placed on 

 irames, and hung before the trees, is the best plan where these pests 

 are troublesome. 



There are some kinds of Peaches, of which the Royal George is one, 

 very subject to have the young shoots during the sunmier attacked with 

 mildew, the leaves having the appearance of being covered with a white 

 ]iowder, which spreads rapidly over the adjoining leaves and young 

 wood, destroying the leaves and preventing the growth of the shoot. To 

 stop the progress of these fungi, mix quick hme and flower of sulphur 

 in equal [iroportion ; syringe or dip the infected shoots and leaves in 

 water, and then cover them with the mixture, either by a brush or 

 blowing it on the wood by a small machine sold for the purpose, or an 

 old flour dredger may be used. This application must be repeated till 

 the leaves assume their natural healthy colour. 



Gather the fruit as it approaches ripeness, and allow it to remain for 

 twenty-four hours in a dry room of medium temperature ; this much 

 improves the flavour. 



When the fruit is all gathered, go over the trees, and at once cut 

 away every piece of wood not wanted : next season, this will relieve 

 the trees of an incumbrance, and the wood left will be more fully exposed 

 for ripening. As the leaves change colour remove them by degrees, 

 gently sweeping them off" by a bunch of spray. The rest has been 

 detailed in former papers, to which I must refer your readers for 

 particulars. 



Your readers will, I hope, bear in mind that these papers have been 

 written from time to time, as wanted, without having had the advantage 

 of that revision and comparison which, had they appeared as a whole, 

 they would have had. They have been written from daily practice, 

 and if found to contain points of practice worth following by the 



