PKACR. 



as a standard, in latitude* where the winters are much more 

 . but the summers hotter, than with us. ThU U in conformity 

 with th. well axwtsined fact, that all deciduous trees suffer lea from 

 ever* frost in winter when their wood U perfectly matured by suffi- 

 cirnily warm summer*, than when grown in climates where they 

 Moot enjoy that degree of summer-heat which they are naturally 

 attsfl-H for, and which they require for the due formation of their 

 tissues. Hence, in the north of England, young peach-tree* in the 

 MO ground will be partially injured by a degree of frost which, 

 though of equal intensity, will not injuriously affect similar plant* in 

 the neighbourhood of London. The peach also succeeds as a standard 

 in Italy, the south of France, and other continental countries of 

 Europe having summers equally hot ; but it may be observed that, 

 when the mean temperature of the summer months u above 70*, or 

 that of th* warmest month above 75*. as U the case at Rome, and still 

 higher at New York, the melting varieties of the peach do not possess 

 that rich succulence which they acquire against a south wall under the 

 more moderate summer heat* of the climate* of London or Paris. On 

 th* contrary, however, the frm-faiktd or cli*giloxe peaches, which are 

 little esteemed in this country, are preferred in America and other 

 place* subject to extreme summer heat 



If the mean temperature of February amount to 40*, and that of 

 March to 44" or 45*, the peach-tree will be in full flower against a wall 

 with a south aspect about the hut week in March ; and the general 

 crop will be ripe in the last week of August or first week of September, 

 provided the mean temperature of April be 49*, May 55, June 61, 

 July 64*, and that of August 63*. ThU period of Jive months required 

 for the maturing of the fruit from the tune of flowering, on the open 

 wall, may be reduced to /our by mean* of fire-heat and the protection 

 of glass ; but it cannot be advantageously diminished any further. 

 This fact being borne in mind, it U easy for the gardener to know at 

 what time to commence forcing his peaches in order to obtain a crop in 

 a given month. 



From the natural climate and habit of the peach-tree, it U obvious 

 that when forced it must be flowered under a comparatively low degree 

 of temperature. It cannot, therefore, be well forced simultaneously 

 with the vine ; for the temperature of March, which in this climate 

 serve* to bring the peach into flower, does not unfold the buds of the 

 vine, thU being only effected a month or six weeks farther in the 

 season, by a mean temperature of 55*. The peach may be subjected 

 at first to a temperature of 45*, but not exceeding 55* till the flowering 

 U over, after which it may be gradually raised to 60*, and not exceeding 

 65*, till the substance of the stone U indurated, after which from 65" 

 to 70* may be allowed. ThU U to be understood as referring to the 

 application of fire-heat Even in the total absence of fire-heat, sun- 

 heat will frequently raise the temperature much higher ; but in this 

 case a Urge portion of air should be supplied, not however all at once 

 after the temperature of the house is found too high, but gradually as 

 th* temperature increases. Air should be always freely admitted through 

 the day, when the weather U at all favourable. 



Light U so essential, that unless peaches be trained near the glass, 

 the fruit will neither acquire due colour nor flavour. Vicissitudes of 

 dryness and moisture must be avoided. The roots should be well 

 supplied with water before the fruit begins to ripen off, because at a 

 later period none can be applied without deteriorating the flavour. 



The management of the peach-tree can only be correctly understood 

 by those who are aware of the disposition of its buds and its mode of 

 hearing. The leaves on the shoots of the current season are produced 

 either singly, in pain, or in threes from the same node. In the course 

 of the summer, or early part of autumn, a bud U formed in the axil of 

 every individual leaf, and these are termed single, double, or triple 

 <*a, or bud*, according a* one or more are produced at each mule. In 

 the following season, these buds develope themselves either as flower- 

 buds or young shoots, and previously to pruning it is necessary to 

 I'UUnguiah the one description from the other. The flower-buds are 

 plump and roundish ; the wood-buds are more oblong and pointed, and 

 one of these U generally situated between flower-buds in the case of 

 triple buds occurring at the same node. It U therefore expedient, in 

 pruning, to shorten a shoot to these triple eyes if possible, or, in their 

 absence, to a leaf-bud, but never to a fruit-bud only, for no shoot 

 could be prolonged from it, nor would the fruit attain perfection, 

 owing to the want of leave* in immediate connection with its foot- 

 stalk. In selecting buds for the purpose of propagation, rinylt 

 wood-buds only should be chosen. 



The mode of bearing U solely on shoots of the preceding summer's 

 growth. 



The peach U propagated almost exclusively by budding ; but occa- 

 sionally splice-grafting U adopted. The peach stock U rarely used, but 

 frequently the almond, especially in France. In this country, how- 

 ever, it U propagated almost entirely on the plum stock, which U not 

 only much hardier, but also possesses the property of spreading its 

 roots nearer the surface than either of the two preceding kinds, thereby 

 affording to the peach a more congenial nourishment, in consequence 

 of th* roots being within the influence of the solar heat Whereas the 

 peach stock tends to strike downwards strong tap-like root* beyond 

 th* depth of the stratum wanned by the summer-heat ; and although 

 the Utter trees grow vigorously for a few years, or so long a* the roots 

 hnv* not penetrated too deep, yet they afterwards become sickly, their 



PEACH. 44 



foliage becomes narrow, and acquires a yellowish colour, and the tree* 

 ultimately perish. The mtutrl and tdtite fear-plum are the varieties of 

 plum stock* on which the peach is budded ; the Utter is esteem 

 best. The French prefer the St. Julien plum stock, which answers 

 exceedingly well. In order to obtain varieties, the seed is used, and 

 when the plant is sufficiently advanced it is grafted. 



The peach succeeds in any rich fresh loamy soil; but the subsoil, 

 like that for all fruit-trees, ought not to be retentive, and a very com- 

 plete mode of drainage is absolutely necessary. It would also be 

 desirable that the roots should not be allowed to penetrate deeper than 

 two feet from the surface, which is to be effected by judicious root- 

 pnming. No objections could be made against the roots following 

 their natural tendency downwards to whatever distance they might go, 

 if their extremities were at the same time in a medium congenial to 

 the peach as regards temperature ; but this cannot be the case in 

 Britain, unless perhaps some chalk subsoils may form exceptions. The 

 soil, especially if the situation U cold and damp, can hardly be too 

 shallow when it rests on a hard subsoil ; on gravel it need not exceed 

 14 inches in depth, but may be deeper in warm and dry situations. 

 The best remedy for mildew is, to take up the tree carefully in 

 autumn, renew the soil, and replant the tree, spreading the roots near 

 the surface. 



Various modes of training the peach have been adopted, with 

 different degrees of success. That of course has proved the best which 

 admits of the most equal distribution of sap throughout the respective 

 branches, and likewise the production of a sufficient number of well- 

 placed shoots for replacing those that have once borne fruit, the shoots 

 being only useful for such purpose in the season immediately following 

 that in which they are produced. The fan method, and a modification 

 of it called Seymour's training, are most in conformity with the above 

 principles. A common error in the fan method is that of disposing a 

 few of the first produced branches so as to represent equidistant radii ; 

 the consequences of such disposition are an excessive degree of vigour 

 in the central and most upright ; but at the name time those inclining 

 horizontally become comparatively weak, linger for a few years, and 

 then die off. Their share of the sap is soon appropriated by the more 

 vertical branches, some of which will assume the character of stems, 

 and prove unsuitable for producing fruit-bearing shoots. Cutting 

 these back is frequently the only alternative in order to obtain other 

 shoots for the purpose of furnishing the lower part of the wall. By 

 this misdirection of the energies of the tree, several years' growth is 

 waited; and when it becomes necessary to cut out such large branches, 

 the tree receives a shock which renders it incapable of bearing such 

 fine fruit as a more skilful management will ensure. It may be briefly 

 affirmed that all methods of training are bad which admit upright 

 shoots to compete with horizontal ones ; for the former will grow with 

 a vigour ten times greater, in many instances, than the latter, owing to 

 the strong vertical tendency of the sap. Although the ascendancy 

 gained by a vertical shoot over a horizontal one is considerable in the 

 current season of their production, yet it bears but a trilling ratio to 

 that which would be gained in successive seasons, were the vertical 

 portion allowed to proceed without interference from the priming- 

 knife. If, however, a central vertical shoot be annually trained, and 

 uniformly cut at the winter pruning to within a few buds from its 

 base, no material injury would then result to the side branches, the 

 vertical tendency against them being thus limited to a single summer- 

 shoot. This principle is the basis of the following mode of training. 



In cutting back the central shoot, two buds, well situated for pro- 

 ducing side branches, and a third for an upright, must be left The 

 first production of side branches, which are intended to produce the 

 lower radii of the fan, must be trained at some elevation in the first 

 instance, and afterwards brought to a horizontal position ; and they 

 should not be subdivided. Those, however, obtained in the following 

 season may be allowed to form two each, if sufficiently vigorous, at 

 some distance from their base, and as their divergence affords room. 

 The branches produced after those last mentioned, and indeed all the 

 upper ones, may be subdivided into two, or even three. By this 

 method of training the lower branches become strong, and acquire a 

 well-established communication with the roots before the upper are 

 in existence, so that there is little danger of their dying off, as usually 

 happens when horizontal and vertical branches are started at the same 

 time. 



By repeating the process here detailed, all the principal branches are 

 ultimately produced, to the number of between thirty and forty, ami 

 disposed in a fan-like form, diverging, not exactly from a common 

 centre, but from a short axis. These branches support the shoots on 

 which, during the second season of their existence, the fruit is borne. 

 Buds for the origin of these shoots should be selected at the distance 

 of every twelve or fourteen inches along the upper side of the branches, 

 that being the side from which they are obtained with the greatest 

 facility, owing to the upward tendency of the sap. As these shoots 

 are being prolonged during the summer, they should be trained so that, 

 their foliage may have the fullest exposure to light ; but although the 

 foliage of one shoot ought not to overshade that of others, yet the 

 naked branches are benefited by the shade of leaves, for old bark 

 exposed to the direct rays of the sun is apt to be scorched. 



The shoots produced and trained during the summer for succes- 

 rional bearing ones must be shortened considerably at the ensuing 



