PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TEEE, 



colored, is not so much attacked by birds. 

 It is also a very beautiful and delicious 

 fruit. The Bigarreau Monstreuse de Mezel,^ 

 of which we give a portrait this month, proves 

 to be a large, productive variety ; and, as the 

 fruit is firm, valuable for marketing. The 

 tree is a very strong, irregular grower — more 

 so than the Elton^ or any other variety we 

 know of; and, as far as Ave have observed, 

 quite hardy. Fruit — very large, larger than 

 Black Tartarian, obtuse heart-shaped, with 

 an uneven surface. Stalk — long and slender. 

 Color — dark mahogany. Flesh — firm, some- 

 what like the Tradescant'' s Black Heart, jmcj, 

 and agreeable, though not higlily flavored. 

 The fruit is produced in very large clusters. 

 Ripe, at Rochester, latter end of June and be- 

 ginning of July — usually lasts to the middle 

 of July. 



BIGARREAU MONSTREUSE DE MEZEL. 



PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE.f 



In August last, Mr. F. Malleson, Gardener to His Majesty the King of the Belgians, 

 at the Royal Gardens, Claremont, having seen M. Lepere's trees, expressed himself 

 as having been highly gratified with their fine appearance. " There was not," he 

 states, " a blight of any description upon them, and they were loaded with fruit. 

 M. Lepere's system of training is the best I have ever seen." It has, therefore, been 

 considered advisable to give the following translation of such parts of his work as will 

 enable the horticulturists of this country to understand his system, so much approved 

 in France and elsewhere on the continent. It is certainly desirable that every gardener 

 should know the best French mode of managing the Peach tree, and that he should 

 perfectly understand the principles contained in the following pages, in order that he 

 may turn them to account in improving the trees that are, or may be, committed to 

 his care. That there are in many gardens in this country Peach trees requiring to be 

 improved, is a fact that can not be denied. Errors in management will appear more 

 evident to any one who may read the following paragraphs ; but whoever will atten- 

 tively study the excellent instructions which they contain, must feel assured that he 

 can, in consequence, efi'ect great improvements, not only in the training of young 



* See Frontispiece. 



+ According to the method of M. Alexis Lepeee, of Montreuil, near Paris. Translated for the Journal of the 

 London JforticiiUural Society from hia work, Pratique liaisontiee de la Taille dit, FecJier, principalement en 

 Etipalifr Carre. 



