THE PEACH IN THE NORTH. 



in a lamentable state of disease, being one mass of canker , gum and rottenness. To avoid 

 this, recourse is had to the plum stock. And here much judgment and experience is neces- 

 sary, as varieties of peaches demand peculiar stocks; what are termed French peaches, 

 are generally worked on what is called the pear plum stock, a variety of slow growth, but 

 one upon which these peaches appear to succeed well; the Muscle plum stock is a variety of 

 much stronger growth, and on it are worked all the other sorts of peaches, with most nec- 

 tarines; upon it they grow admirably, though the constitution of the French Peach is such 

 that they will not take upon this stock. Mr. P^ivers uses a stock upon which all peaches 

 grow finely. Formerly a stock was in cultivation called the Brompton Plum, a variety of 

 very thrifty growth, but on which the peach was pre-disposed to disease, and on which it 

 did not live long; this variety is now little used, and no English gardener that knows 

 anything about peaches, would think of planting a tree if it were on this stock. 



Let us now see in what way they are prepared for working. Small stocks are bedded out 

 in good ground; here they stand two years; at the expiration of the second year, they are 

 cut down to the ground level; the following season they throw up fine clean shoots, three 

 to four feet in hight, and bj'' the end of this year, they are taken up and planted out in the 

 nursery lines for budding; every workman can perceive how much easier and better such 

 young stuff" can be budded, than stocks that may have taken the same, or even a less 

 amount of time, to grow, but had not been headed down. Standard peaches and necta- 

 rines are generally budded at a height of from five to six feet, on the stock. The latter is 

 grown for the purpose in this way: strong stocks are lined out in the nursery, in the same 

 way as when they are intended for working dwarfs upon ; here they are allowed to stand 

 and grow two years; when they are cut even with the surface of the ground, they will 

 throw up shoots from five to seven feet that summer; many will be fit to bud the same 

 season, at a height of five or six feet, and the remainder the following summer. I have 

 been thus particular in describing how this tree is raised in England, contrasted with the 

 ease with which it may be cultivated here. I saj'- ea.se, for the best culture which we can 

 give it here, will be easy in comparison with its cultivation there. See what care is there 

 required in selecting stocks suited to the varieties; next, the preparation which these stocks 

 undergo to have them healthy and thrifty to receive the buds; and as we proceed we shall 

 find the after treatment is equally assiduous; care, attention, and labor being as little 

 spared. Here is the proper place to notice stocks, for this climate, and where this tree 

 succeeds on its own roots there unquestionably is nothing better , if there is any thing as good ; 

 but in some of the northern states the plum stock may be useful; here, however, the stock 

 must be of such a nature, that the peach will take and grow freely upon, and be likely to 

 last; for the more delicate varieties of peaches, a stock of moderate 

 growth should be used; time and experience alone can however de- 

 termine which varieties will answer this purpose best, and which the 

 varieties of peaches will grow upon. 



I have extended these introductory remarks longer than I intended 

 when I commenced, but I hope if I have made a digression it may be 

 useful in its way. We shall now turn to the other part, and that 

 which more immediately concerns us at present — the proper train- 

 ing of the tree. When the latter are purchased in the nursery, they 

 should be young, clean and thrifty; one year old from the bud is best; 

 if older, when headed back they do not break free; they will have 



ppearance of No. 1. In the present day T should hope no per- ^r^ i_(/,e tree s re 

 uld think of planting these or any other valuable trees with ceivedfrom the nurstry. 



