I879-] PEACHES DROPPING PREMATURELY. 181 



PEACHES DROPPING PREMATURELY. 



Gardeners as a rule are very greedy — at least they get this name 

 — and for my part I think I am no exception, although, in common 

 with the most of my brother-gardeners, my greed puts nothing extra 

 into my pocket. It often adds to my discomfiture. When large crops 

 are taken successively, the trees in time are bound to succumb ; and the 

 employer is more than likely to forget all about the successes of the 

 past, and think very little of them on account of the subsequent disap- 

 pointment. The cause of Peaches dropping prematurely is, I believe, 

 common to most fruits. The well -covered Pear-tree has its first, 

 second, and third qualities of fruits on it : because it is not able to sup- 

 port all sufficiently, some take the lead and keep it. Apples are the 

 same. I have seen trees with two or three dozens on them, all splendid 

 plump fruit ; while, on the other hand, I have seen them in other years 

 having an abundant crop, with more than the half being inferior — the 

 best not at all good specimens. In fact, there is just a certain work a 

 fruit-tree can do, to do it right ; but if we force it beyond that work, it 

 must end in failure and disappointment. In the case of hardy fruits, 

 we can do without large crops every season — indeed, we do not feel it 

 much if they should miss altogether ; but not so with fruits under glass. 

 The Peach, like the Vine, has great bearing capacities, and if well treated 

 will repay all trouble ; but " well treated " means much. 



I have a small Peach-house which I have forced every year, the 

 trees in which have not failed to produce a good crop for eight years 

 in succession. The fruits that remained on to maturity were always 

 excellent in quality and size. I fancy I cropped a little beyond the 

 capabilities of the trees, and consequently some dropped off prema- 

 turely. Some of your readers will smile and say, " Thin more in 

 future, and less will drop prematurely." This is all true, I doubt not. 

 But I like a numerous crop, and so does my employer. 



I was very much interested lately by reading in ' The Gardener ; an 

 account of an experiment with Melons — growing them almost with- 

 out soil, by giving them the ingredients which form their con- 

 stituent parts. I have been thinking since, if the same rule could 

 be adopted with Peaches, it would no doubt prove very satisfactory. 

 It is evident that any fruit-tree year after year growing in the same 

 soil will in course of time deprive the soil wholly of whatever con- 

 stituent the tree most requires. The Peach, for instance, would require 

 an inorganic soil, on account of the many large stones it has to make. 

 There is much written about suitable soil for different kinds of , fruit- trees 

 and plants. The secret must be, and is, that certain soils contain the 

 elements required by certain trees and plants. So if these elements 

 could be supplied in a consolidated form to fruit-trees, according to 

 their wants, the result no doubt would be most satisfactory. Each 

 season I feed my Peaches well with tank liquid-manure and guano, 



