FRUIT CULTURE.— V. 



THE PEACH. 



;HILE a few hardy varieties may 

 achieve a partial success in colder 

 districts, the culture of the peach 

 is not likely to be satisfactory 

 where the thermometer habitually registers 

 more than lo degrees below zero. In Onta- 

 rio the counties of Lincoln, Welland, Monck, 

 Wentworth, Essex and Kent include the 

 areas where peach growing is likely to be 

 permanently profitable. A winter like the 

 past, when, during February (1899), the 

 thermometer in these districts several times 

 touched a lower point than that mentioned, 

 plainly demonstrates the truth of the state- 

 ment. 



Planting and Pruning. — The trees to be 

 planted should be thrifty and straight, one 

 year old from the bud. The process of plant- 

 ing has already been described. The mark, 

 where the old stock was cut off and the bud 

 grown from, should be at a level with or 

 slightly below the surface of the ground. 

 Before setting, the young tree should be 

 carefully examined for the peach borer, which 

 may often be found on nursery stock ; and 

 for root galls, which are somewhat similar 



to those on the raspberry and apple. See 

 Figs. 90 and 14. Trees with galls should 

 be rejected. The head of the young trees 

 should be started at from 2)^ to 3^ ft. from 

 the ground. If lower than this, there will 

 be difficulty in cultivation, from the inevita- 

 ble spread of the lower limbs ; and if higher, 

 picking will be less easy, and a top-heavy 

 tree will be the result, which will be put to 

 a severe test in high winds and under a heavy 

 load of fruit. There are two systems of 

 pruning the peach, both of which have strong 

 advocates. In the one case the previous 

 year's growth is shortened in one-half every 

 season, a bushy and comparatively low head 

 being attained. In the other system the in- 

 ner wood is thinned out and the head is more 

 open, with the branches following their nat- 

 ural growth. Whatever system is followed, 

 the pruning is the same the first year or two, 

 while the head is being formed. Figs. 25 

 and 26 show the method of treating the tree 

 when planting. Fig. 27 illustrates the se- 

 cond year's pruning, enough branches being 

 left to form a spreading vigorous head. Oc- 

 casionally a top will die back or fail to pro- 



