March 17, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



199 



ORCHARD HOUSE POTTED PEACH AND 

 NECTARINE TREES. 



HE culture of Teach and Nectarine trees for 

 fruiting in pots does not receive the amount 

 of attention which the importance of the 

 subject deserves ; amongst practical gardeners 

 the system does not obtain much favour, for 

 it is generally believed that fruit of better 

 quality can be obtained with less attention 

 from trees planted out and trained to the 

 usual trellis. Fruit trees in pots, it is true, 

 require unremitting attention as regards 

 watering, especially during the stoning period and onwards ; 

 but, on the other hand, pinching the growing shoots of pot 

 trees is a much more agreeable and less laborious occupa- 

 tion than training them to wires fixed about a foot from 

 the glass. Greater variety can be obtained if the trees 

 are grown in pots ; undesirable varieties can be removed 

 easily, and their places supplied with superior sorts ; and, 

 what is of most importance, fruit of as good quality can be 

 obtained from pot trees as from trees planted out. 



I have had no experience with the forcing orchard 

 house — that is, to have fruit ripe in May and June, but 

 with the recent early varieties of Peaches raised by Mr. 

 Rivers not much forcing would be required to ripen fruit 

 on the 1st of June. Last year in January I moved all the 

 Peach and Nectarine trees into the orchard house — they 

 had been out of doors for the previous three months — and 

 with just sufficient heat to keep out frost and cause a 

 circulation in dull days, Early Beatrice Peach was ripe 

 in the last week of June. It was followed immediately 

 by Early Rivers, next by Early York and Dr. Hogg ; 

 while Princess of Wales, and Lord and Lady Palmerston 

 succeeded the midseason varieties. Lastly, Comet and 

 Salway, two very good yellow-fleshed varieties, were 

 gathered in October. Thus a constant succession of 

 Peaches was obtained from June to October from one 

 house. 



There is more room for improvement in Nectarines. 

 Hunt's Tawny is the earliest, but it is only second-rate 

 as regards flavour. Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, has 

 raised and is sending out a new early variety called Lord 

 Napier ; it is said to be earlier than Hunt's Tawny, and 

 of good flavour ; if so, it will be a great gain. These are 

 succeeded by Early Murrey, an excellent Nectarine ; Vio- 

 lette H.itive. Balgowan, Pine Apple, and a very good 

 Tariety with large fruit, Violette Rouge. The last to ripen, 

 about the first week in September, were Prince of Wales 

 and Victoria. 



Thus the Peach season is continued from the last week 

 in June until the first week in October, and the Nectarine 

 season from the middle of July until the first week in 

 September. 



I will describe in detail the treatment of the trees from 

 the time they are purchased in the nursery until the fruit 

 is gathered. To begin with what are termed " maiden 

 trees " — that is, trees one year from the bud, they ought 

 to be selected in the nursery, and sent home in November. 



No. 168.-YOL. XV7JL, Khw Sebxeb. 



Three months previous to this the compost ought to be 

 prepared for them ; it should consist of six parts turfy 

 loam to one part of a mixture of equal quantities of cow 

 and stable manure. The pots which are most suitable 

 are from 10 to 11^ inches in diameter inside measure. 

 They must be properly drained, putting in the crocks 

 carefully, and covering them with some fibrous material 

 shaken out from the turf. It is of the utmost importance 

 to secure good drainage, as the trees will remain in the 

 same pots for two years. If they are potted in November, 

 and plunged out of doors, they will not require further 

 attention until they are removed into the orchard house 

 about the 1st of February. 



The trees must be pruned when the buds begin to swell, 

 which will be in February. The young trees generally 

 consist of one leading shoot more or less furnished with 

 side shoots ; cut the leading shoot over at 3 feet from the 

 surface of the pot ; and the side shoots are shortened back, 

 leaving on the lowest shoots four or five buds, on those 

 near the top about two buds. The growing shoots ought 

 to be pinched about three times during the growing sea- 

 son ; the last pinching to be about the end of July. A 

 little experience and some judgment are necessary here. 

 There is danger in too close pinching, as numbers of shoots 

 will be formed which must be thinned-out, and at the last 

 pinching the weakly shoots ought not to be stopped, as 

 they have for the most part none but flower buds, except 

 the terminal bud ; consequently, if that is pinched off the 

 shoot will die down to the base. If there are too many 

 shoots, the best time to thin them out is in autumn, some 

 time before the leaves begin to change colour. This will 

 give the remaining shoots an opportunity to ripen. 



About the first week in October, most of the leaves 

 having fallen, the trees are turned out of doors, and the 

 orchard house filled with Chrysanthemums. I have al- 

 ways placed the Peach and Nectarine trees out of doors, 

 and never yet failed in securing good crops of fruit in the 

 following season. I fancy it is beneficial to the trees. If 

 the material in which they are plunged be moved, even in 

 the dead of winter, the roots are found to be active, espe- 

 cially in the case of trees budded on the Almond stock. 



The trees are placed in the house in January ; and if it 

 is heated, the pots will not require to be plunged to pre- 

 serve them from the frost. In either way the trees will 

 require little attention until the blossoms are expanded, 

 except seeing that no tree shall suffer from want of water. 

 During the flowering period, the house must be kept as 

 dry as possible, and the ventilators opened a little at night 

 if the weather is at all favourable. Continued dull cold 

 weather is the most injurious at this time. If the house 

 is artificially heated, there will be no danger, as the fire 

 can be kept going by day as well as at night. 



There are some varieties which do not set their fruit 

 freely — for instance, Late Admirable, Walburton Admi- 

 rable, and Salway-: I find they set their fruit more freely 

 if with a small brush the pollen is removed from a free- 

 setting variety, such as Royal George or Bellegarde, and 

 applied to the stigma of the shy- setters. 



As soon as all the fruit are set, it will be time to com- 



No. 1120,- Vol. XLIIX, Old Shoes, 



