236 THE PEACH. . 



State will bloom at least ten or tivelve days later in Virginia 

 or Maryland than trees of the same variety that are natives 

 of New Jersey or New York, when placed in the same orchard ; 

 and, by late blooming, will generally escape the late frosts in 

 the Spring. This is a very important fact — and the benefit 

 to be derived from this knowledge is not confined to those 

 situations that are es2:)ecially frosty.. 



PREPAKATIOX OF THE SOIL AND PLANTING THE 



TREES. 



If the natural drainage is not sufficient to carry ofi" the sur- 

 plus water and moisture, it should be eff'ected by artificial 

 means — such as surface draining, by bedding the soil, by open 

 and by secret or subterranean ditches. The soil should be 

 deeply broken by first using a two or three horse plow, fol- 

 lowed by a sub-soil plow as deep as possible. The ground 

 should be well harrowed down. The plowing had best be 

 done parallel with the ditches, or, if the descent is very grad- 

 ual, and no ditches, up and down the grade, so as to aid in 

 the drainage. The rows for the trees may now be laid off 

 with the plow each way at the distance apart desired for the 

 trees, stakes having first been set as guides for the plowman, 

 who must have good command over his team. When the 

 ground is thus checked oif, the places may be easily prepared 

 with the mattock and spade; and the notched hoard may be 

 used to designate the exact spot for the tree. The planting 

 of the peach is generally performed in the same manner as 

 that already described for the apple tree, the process being 

 substantially the same. Extremely rich soil, however, is rather 

 detrimental for the growth of this splendid fruit, as the trees 

 will require much pruning, and the fruit will ripen badly and 

 bo subject to the rot. 



As to the distance each tree should stand apart — about 

 twenty feet each way, where the land is to be cultivated and 

 the trees expected to grow large, will be about right; or, 

 twenty-one feet each way, which is 100 trees to the acre. 

 When the trees are to be shortened-in, or trained in somewhat 



