1870.] THE CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 543 



placed, when the fruit is packed into it, having about half an inch of 

 the same material between each. After the dozen are placed in position, 

 the box is filled up with the grass and screwed down, and will travel 

 a thousand miles without the slightest injury, provided the fruit has 

 been gently handled in the process of packing. This is the way I 

 have packed all the fruit for my employer's table during the London 

 season for years past, and I have reason to know that every fruit sent 

 from here has arrived and been placed upon his table in perfect condi- 

 tion, although the distance they travelled was over 400 miles, the 

 number of boxes sent each year averaging thirty. 



The principal diseases to which the Peach and Nectarine are subject 

 in this country are canker, gum, and mildew. Canker is generally 

 the result of the trees being planted in a too deep, damp, and uncon- 

 genial soil. To remedy this, upon the first appearance of the disease 

 let the trees be lifted and replanted in well-made new borders after 

 the manner already described, and the result will be new vigour and 

 health to the tree, unless the disease has got too firm a hold upon its 

 constitution. Gum is generally the result of bad pruning, or careless- 

 ness with the hammer or any other instrument in bruising and wounding 

 the bark or branches of the tree. To prevent this, careful management 

 is the antidote. If, however, the disease appears to any great extent, 

 the best plan is to remove the tree altogether, and have it replaced by 

 a young healthy one. Mildew is a disease to which some of the 

 varieties of the Peach are more liable than others ; and from this fact 

 I conclude that, although the disease is to a certain extent the result 

 of external agencies, yet from constitutional weakness some sorts 

 are more liable to the attack than others. I have always noticed 

 that mildew follows on the trail of a continuation of cold, parch- 

 ing weather, with the wind blowing from the east or north-east. 

 In genial and showery weather we seldom see any traces of it, so that 

 certain conditions of the atmosphere, with the wind in certain quarters 

 has much to do with its attacks. Where the trees are regularly 

 syringed with water, even should such weather prevail for a time, the 

 attack will not be so severe as those which have not been syringed. 

 The best remedy, however, and also the best preventive, is flower of 

 sulphur applied with a sulphurator upon the first appearance of the 

 disease, or, what is perhaps better, let it be applied as soon as there is 

 the least appearance of a continuation of such weather as would be 

 likely to court its presence. The only other disease to which it is 

 necessary to call the attention of the Peach cultivator is blistering, wrink- 

 ling, and curling of the leaves. The cause of this may be looked for 

 in badly-prepared, too deep, cold, and wet borders ; in fact, it is the 

 usual precursor of canker, and traceable to the same causes. Seeing 



