30 THE BOOK OF THE PEACH. 



SUITABLE COMPOSTS FOR PEACH TREES. 



The peach tree is not so particular as to soil 

 as many people assume it to be. That the peach 

 tree, planted in a deep, calcareous, loamy soil, will 

 flourish and produce heavy crops of first-rate peaches 

 (if properly managed) year after year, without being 

 subjected to any preparation in the way of manuring 

 and trenching of the ground prior to planting, I 

 know to be a fact. 



It is also quite true that good results in the way 

 of crops can be obtained from peach trees planted 

 in ordinary garden or field soil, enriched with a 

 good dressing of well-decomposed stable-manure in 

 the process of trenching, about two feet deep (more 

 or less according to the natural depth of soil), or 

 digging. Of course it is undesirable that the roots 

 of the trees should be submerged during the late 

 autumn and winter months, or, indeed, at any 

 time, although it would not matter much during 

 the summer months. As a matter of fact, experience 

 goes to show that heretofore much unnecessary ex- 

 pense has been incurred in the making of peach 

 and vine borders and in the preparation of the 

 composts to place therein. 



However, where the natural soil is either too 

 light or too heavy in texture to promote and main- 

 tain a free, healthy, and fruitful growth in peach 



