CHAP. V VILLA GARDENING 263 



sm-e, their wants in the shape of food and driuk were regidarly 

 attended to. 



Gathering the Feuit. — Peaches should never be allowed to 

 hang long enough on the trees to fall of their own accord, for, if 

 briused, they get black and decay immediately ; and in gather- 

 ing they must be handled very carefully. Take the fruit in the 

 hand, grasping it with the ends of the fingers, distributing them 

 round the fruit, bringing the leverage (the little, at least, that is 

 required) to bear upon the back of the fruit near the wall. If a 

 moderate pressure detaches the friut, it drojjs into the palm of the 

 hand without any damage, and can be placed in a basket lined 

 with cotton wool. Where a layer of fi-uit is placed over the 

 bottom of the basket it should be laid in the fruit-room, on a 

 shelf on which a sheet of cotton wadding has been placed. When 

 gathered three or four days before they are rii)e. Peaches may be 

 kept a week or longer in a cool room in very good condition. In 

 order to secure high-coloured, well-flavoured fruit, as it advances 

 to the colouring stage the leaves which hang or project over it 

 shoidd be pushed on one side. In some instances a whole leaf 

 may be pinched off" in order to let in sunshine and air. In others 

 the removal of half a leaf will meet the case, and when the 

 object of full esposiu'e has been seciu'ed no more leaves shoidd be 

 removed, as they perform a most important work in the economy 

 of the tree. 



Peunixg. — When the fruit is all gathered, the branches which 

 bore them should be removed to let in a flood of light to ripen the 

 wood on which next year's crop depends. In the case of trees 

 which are still extending, there will be less wood to cut away, as 

 some of these bearing shoots will be required for extending. Still, 

 all branches not actually required should be cut oft" and taken 

 away. When the leaves fall, loose all the young wood from the 

 wall and allow the air to play round it. The priming will be 

 finished in February, just before the floAver buds expand, and will 

 consist in smoothing with a sharp knife all rough sui'faces occa- 

 sioned by disbudding, and shortening, more or less, unripe wood, 

 always cutting to a wood bud for the purpose of seeming a leader. 

 The blossom buds are always distinguishable from the wood bud 

 when they begin to swell in February, the former being round and 

 plump, whilst the wood buds are long and pointed at the ends. 

 Frequently, too, the blossom buds are arranged in i^airs, with a 

 wood bud between them, and it is always safe to cut to a group 

 of buds of this character. 



Insects and Diseases. — It is better to prevent than ciu-e, 

 even when the remedy is certain and rapid in its action. As 



