27G 



Tlie Haiiicullurist and Journal 



the earth bared by the mulch, deposits its 

 eggs in the manure — where they either fall a 

 prey to birds — or, the grubs are unable to 

 penetrate the hard bark, and suffer the con- 

 sequences of misplaced confidence in barking 

 up the wrong tree. The peach tree is subject 

 to many disorders, but it need not "have 

 worms." 



Pruning. — During the first years the 

 trees should be trained to assume the form of 

 a wine glass, with open head. He then cuts 

 back two opposite sides of the trees — remov- 

 ing all the bearing wood, and is enabled to 

 plow close to the trees in the direction of the 

 cutting. The orchard is thus plowed for two 

 years, turning the furrows towards the trees. 

 After two years the uncut sides of the trees 

 are trimmed as before, and the plowing fol- 

 lows, turning the furrows towards the trees at 

 right angles with the two previous years. 

 This system of cutting back and plowing is 

 alternated every two years. 



The trees ordinarily present the appearance 

 of being planted on mounds, whereas really, 

 on level with surface soil. By following this 

 system of mulching with manure and the use 

 of ashes around the ti'ees — the feeding roots 

 do not extend beyond a few feet from the tree ; 

 the system of plowing also brings the top soil 

 to the tree, and roots which extend into the 

 poor soil beyond have always been observed 

 to turn back to the manured circle around 

 the trees. This is on the principle of manur- 

 ing in the hill — instead of enriching the whole 

 ground, which is virtually impracticable in 

 this State. 



JLeeping Bade the Buds. — In the fall, 

 remove the earth with a spade from around 

 the trees, but do not expose the roots, and 

 cut a drain from the basin thus formed around 

 each tree into the dead furrow beyond. This 

 basin is filled up in the spring and the mulch 

 applied, which tends to further retard the flow 

 of sap as the season advances. 



The buds on 'the peach tree, is an ex- 

 crescence — put forth to anticipate the season, 

 and is not necessary, and does not exist in the 

 longer seq,son of its native country, Persia. 



But here the germ is projected beyond the 

 bark and enclosed in its wrappings of vegeta- 

 ble tissue in order the more speedily to 

 respond to the advance of the season. 



The less the projection, and the thicker the 

 tissue envelopes, the less the danger from late 

 frosts and climate irregularities. It can 

 hardly be said that when the temperature is 

 below zero, any bud is safe ; but, even then, 

 the possibility of maintaining a higher tem- 

 perature of the germ, under the protection ot 

 the bud, depends on its size and thickness, and 

 this upon the vigor of the tree in its efforts to 

 mature, even during winter months. In pro- 

 portion as a tree is vigorous, it. like an animal, 

 has a higher temperature than the air in 

 winter ; but when Aveak from insufiicient nu- 

 trition it has less ability to resist cold — and 

 not only the germ in the bud, but the whole 

 fruit spur is frequently destroyed. 



A small deficiency in the element of nutri- 

 tion will turn the scale, precisely, as the death 

 of a dozen old persons in a hospital is deter- 

 mined by a few degrees reduction of tempera- 

 ture in the night, while fifty in same ward 

 survive, being more vigorous. 



It has been demonstrated by the successful 

 fruiting of an orchard during the past seven 

 years, without a single failure, that the fore- 

 going system offers every inducement, of 

 certainty of crop, to those who choose to 

 adopt it. 



This system is based more upon the 

 peculiar physiology of the peach in our 

 climate, than on any specific to insure the 

 fruit, and depends for its success upon the 

 application of proper nutritious elements, and 

 the judicious use of the knife, mulch and 

 plow. 



Soil for Fruits.— The Gardeners' Monthly 

 gives briefly the following rules for selecting 

 the best soils for the different fruits : "A 

 light, dryish soil for the peach ; a strong 

 loamy soil for the pear ; nearly the same for 

 the plum ; a heavy loam for the apple — if on 

 limestone, all the better ; and for the cherry 

 a soil similar to that of the peach." 



