NoTCrntcr 13, 1808. ] JOTJRNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



379 



haye had it cut fnr three woelis anrl then sent it to table in 

 good condition by placing it in the Pine stove for a night and 

 a day previously. — James Stewart, Nuncham Park. 



THE SUMMER PEACHES OF 18(is. 



.iNunheated orchard lionso3 oavlincas of crop must over be a 

 test, and if this early production bo in good number, nothing 

 more can be desired, except, of course, beauty and flavour. 

 That all these excellent qualities do not invariably unite under 

 the same root is, I fear, but too common. Commercially 

 Bpeaking — and let it be remembered that is an important side 

 of the orchard-house question — there is no comparison between 

 the value of an early Peach and of a late one. As yet, owing 

 to Bome cause, but, no doubt, maiuly to the great profits made 

 by the fruit agents and dealers, orchard houses as a mere com- 

 mercial speculation have not been so remunerative in their 

 results as might have been wished. In certain specified oases 

 they may have been profitable, and in a year like tho present 

 one they, no doubt, have done well ; but, as a general rule, the 

 testimony of those who have fairly tried them is, that they do 

 not " pay " so well as vineries. The reasons are, as I stated, 

 chiefly owing to a combination against which the producer is 

 practically powerless, but which may be remedied in time, and 

 also that Peaches, being a most perishable crop, require to be 

 gathered very carefully and sent to market exactly at times 

 ■which suit both the state of the fruit and the demand for it. 

 In these matters the Grape crop is certainly much mnre to be 

 relied on, for it b^ars carriage far more easily, and it can hang 

 nntil required. I have had a fair experience in these matters, 

 and think that when we have still earlier sorts, and of good 

 quality, orchard houses may become fairly remunerative. Such 

 sorts, for instance, as some of Mr. Eivers's new seedlings, I 

 look to as by far the most profitable in a monetary point, of 

 view. When, for instance, a Peach of good medium size (we 

 can hardly look for more), having a good colour, fairly prolific, 

 and not too tender, can be ripened early in July in nuheated 

 structures, it will always command a good price. For myself, 

 lam working to obtain such by the end of June, and, if in 

 good number, make no doubt of their success. At present we 

 send Peaches from about the second week in July to Covent 

 Garden. The whole crop under glass here this season was 

 about two thousand, of which eleven hundred were disposed of, 

 leaving an abundance for use and gifts. 



It will interest some readers of this Journal who have written 

 to me to inquire respecting this very matter (which has also 

 been mentioned in these pages), and our numerous visitors 

 who saw the crop on the trees, and can judge of its quality, to 

 say here that we cleared 10 per cent, on the original outlay. 

 Were deductions made for labour it is to be feared that even 

 this sum would not be an inducement for speculators, consider- 

 ing the favourable season. Possibly it would be out of place 

 in these pages to enter further into these details for obvious 

 reasons, but I have no objection to join a private crusade 

 against any unfair monopoly, which might thus be upset. I 

 also think that the reports of certain fabulous proJuotions 

 have injured the orchard house cause very much ; undue ex- 

 pectations, which exporters to the London market — no mean 

 test, let me say — know cannot be realised for a continuance of 

 seasons, are thus raised, to the damage of an excellent and 

 popular system. 



We have had this season many visitors, and of a class show- 

 ing a larger acquaintance with tho subject than in preceding 

 years. Most of these visitors, too, were persons having large 

 and expensive houses, amply stocked from the leading nurse- 

 ries. From their remarks, and reports on the state of orchard 

 houses in their neighbourhood, data of a conclusive character 

 could be obtained. I have also aided and counselled proprietors 

 by the score in the disposition and arrangement of magnificent 

 houses, as well as those of very unpretentious size, and know 

 pretty well what are the opinions current. 



Of late I am becoming convinced tliat tho public taste has 

 much improved in all that relates to the qualities of Peaches. 

 The proof of this is that now we may send in the yellow-fleshed 

 Peaches (we always could the corresponding Nectarines), and 

 that I see Mr. Douglas took a good prize at the Crystal Palace 

 for Exquisite, a grand Georgian, which Mr. Rivers sent me 

 some eight years ago. By chance it fir,st fruited in our houses 

 (in all Europe), and has been pronounced by Dr. Hogg as one 

 of the very finest of Peaches. I am glad, therefore, to see my 

 own ideas about this gorgeous Peach realised by these excellent 



tests. It is a show and table fruit ; not very prolific. But 

 eight years ago, who would have been enthusiastic about a 

 yellow-fleshed summer Peach ? Now Crawford's Early is much 

 admired, and I think is the most valuable for the market of 

 second-early yellow sorts. It has also a fine piquant juice, and 

 carries a high colour for tho table ; but, as it is well known, no 

 more need bo said. If, besides this and Exquisite, the lover of 

 yellow Peaches select the Comet, he will have three fine and 

 excellent varieties for show, as well as tho table and market. 

 Let me here say that what is saleable at a good price in these 

 fruits is also, as a rule, generally tho best to cultivate for 

 private consumption. 



I have tried nearly every Poach and Nectarine of any reputa- 

 tion, but they are far from being all equally valuable, for us at 

 least. What is deservedly thought first-rate in other soils and 

 climates is not always so hero. Crawford's Late Peach, for 

 example, I see in the official American Report is considered as 

 having " no rival " in its season, but here it is bitter, and a 

 shy bearer also. No shy bearer should be selected, because 

 thij inherent quality can never bo changed, as far as I see now, 

 and it is too apt to augment with age. Walburton Admirable 

 and Teissier I would never hive whilst others could be had. 

 Nor again should otherwise good sorts like the Murrey Necta- 

 rine, bo chosen when the stones occupy such a disproportionate 

 space in the fruit. Many yellow-fleshed Peaches are bitter. 

 Clingstones are not yet admired much ; but this year we tried 

 them sliced with powdered sugar, and thought them possessing 

 qualities of their own of much value. Children, who are 

 capital judges, will invariably like them very much. They 

 have always been favourites here. 



As to the very late Peaches I cannot speak much this year. 

 They seemed comparatively flavourless, and so did the open-air 

 Peaches. Why, who can say ? We hear of actinic rays, and 

 of heat and light producing rays being different, and in their 

 action on the fruit producing results often unexpected. Very 

 often a dull and cloudy summer, by arresting terrestrial radia- 

 tion, will ripen our crops thoroughly, and also colour them 

 more brilliantly than a succession of unclouded skies. How 

 should wo fare in an island like Guernsey, notorious for excess 

 of cloud, and consequent equability of day and night tempera- 

 ture, but for some compensating and mysterious agency hke 

 actinism? 



We can hardly hope for many such summers as the past 

 one. Grapes have ripened well as standards in a favoured 

 garden, while in ordinary seasons they are poor against walls. 

 Under glass, on the other hand, they have generally coloured 

 badly ; but,- as mentioned before, like early Peaches, forced 

 Grapes were of good colour, showing some specific influence in 

 the rays of the spring sun. 



It may be an error, but I have an impression that a cordon 

 ticketed " Duchess of Oldenburgh Nectarine " bore this fruit, 

 at the proper season, at the top of the cordon, while, much 

 later, some pale Peaches ripened lower down. The wire holding 

 the ticket had pierced deeply into the alburnum between the 

 upper and lower portions, and caused the usual swelling above. 

 Several Peaches are in bloom as I write, while the Pears which 

 grew from blossoms after midsummer are perfect and ripe. 

 According to the method of computing the degrees of heat 

 needed to ripen each kind of fruit, which seems to me a valu- 

 able idea, these would have had about the usual amount of 

 sun-ripening power. — T. Brehaut. 



DESTROYING FUNGUS ON TAN— RINGING. 



BoiLiNo water will at once destroy the Agaricus volvacens 

 (see page 368). 



I tried on four trees tho suggestion in the " Vine Manual," 

 of ringing Vines, and the result in each case was that the 

 bunches ripened about fourteen days before the others on the 

 same Vine, and the berries were much larger, but tho colour 

 was deficient, and the flavour inferior. 



It has been suggested to me by an eminent florist, that 

 ringing and grafting act in a similar way. This is to me a new 

 view of the effects of grafting. I shall try again, and if more 

 successful will let you know the result. — B. A. 



GEOGRAPHY FOR GARDENERS. 



When a gardener is told the native place of a plant, if he 

 knows the latitude, longitude, and elevation of that place, he 

 has a good guide to the temperatures and moisture that plant 



