NAT. ORDER. — AMADVLACRE. 113 



gravcllv, rciiiovo the grossest part, excavating to the proper depth ; 

 and in the same proportion apply a compost as above. Let the soil 

 be made good to the depth of thirty inches or three feet. The nec- 

 tarine Avants the warmer, richer and deeper soil, if any difference be 

 made. Bad, cold ground, or an exhausted mould, is often the cause 

 of the trees gumming." Forsyth says, " Peaches require a lightei 

 soil than pears and plums, and a light mellow loam is best." 



Choice of j)lants. Abercrombie, Forsyth, Nicol, and most 

 authors agree in recommending the choice of trees, two, three or four 

 years (rained. Forsyth says they sliould be procured in the latter 

 end of October or bcgiiuiing of November, as soon as the leaf begins 

 to fall. 



Final planting. In England, France, and many parts of Europe, 

 the Peach is almost universally planted against walls, in order to 

 protect them against frosts : in some warm situations they have been 

 tried as dwarf standards, or as low e.spaliers, covering with mats in 

 the spring, to protect tlieir blossoms; but in this country, especially 

 in many parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Uie Peach is planted 

 in the open field, in rows about four feet apart, and from six to twelve 

 inches from each other, and with proper attention form beautiful 

 nurseries. Early autumn planting is best on dry soils. Spring 

 planting may be successfully performed in February and March, but 

 the sooner the better, that the trees may take root immediately before 

 the dry warm weather commences. 



3Iode of bearing. All the varieties of the Peach and nectarines 

 bear the fruit upon the young wood of a year old ; the blossom-buds 

 arise immediately from the eyes of the shoots. The same shoot 

 seldom bears after the first year, except on some casual small spurs 

 on the two years wood, which is not to be counted upon. Hence 

 the trees are to be pruned as bearing entirely on the shoots of the 

 preceding year, and a full supply of every year's shoots must be 

 trained in for successional bearers the following season. 



JJie Slimmer pruning. In May and June, and occasionally in 



