Stone Fruits: Peaches and Nectarines 133 



loam with crushed bones and seeing that the soil has been moved two- 

 spit deep. Don't put a lot of fresh stable manure in when planting, 

 but defer planting until a year or two of regular generous manuring has 

 brought your soil up to concert pitch. If lime is needed in the soil, let 

 this be applied the year before planting. Plant the young trees a few 

 inches from the wall, sloping a little towards it. The distance apart 

 should be about 12 ft. Don't cut back. A topdressing of manure during 

 summer is helpful. 



Several new plans of securing the branches to the wall have been 

 tried, but none supersede for effectiveness the old plan of nailing to the 

 wall, with a shred to hold the shoot. 



It must be remembered that the object of planting against a wall is 

 not only to secure the shelter of it from northerly or north-easterly 

 air currents, but to secure for the trees and fruit the benefit of radiation 

 of the sun heat which the wall gives off. Systems like wire trellis, which 

 to secure neatness or in search for economy leave a space between the 

 wall and the trees, defeat this main object and offer a draught where 

 the tree asks for warmth. Various devices are in vogue to protect the 

 blossoms from frost in spring, from glass copings and roller blinds to 

 hangings of fish nets. There are growers who declare that as good 

 crops can be obtained, taking one year with another, without any pro- 

 tection as with it. When we remember that in nine cases out of ten 

 the fruit crop is made or marred by the manner in which the wood is 

 ripened in the autumn, and that the frost in spring frequently but 

 executes the sentence then pronounced, we must admit that there is 

 much to be said for the "no protection" advocates. When the fruit 

 has fairly set and commenced to swell, thinning must be done. Here is 

 a great trial for the grower. If he has a man he can trust to do it he 

 had better not attempt it himself. Many more Peach crops are spoiled 

 by too many fruit being left on than by any of the raids of Jack Frost. 

 One good large peach is worth at market three small ones. Let the 

 fruit be thinned so that there is plenty of room for each to swell and 

 not one more than the tree can find sustenance enough to bring to per- 

 fection. 



The summer growths will need careful thinning out in July, only 

 those wanted to fill the wall space being left, and these fastened back 

 by pieces of rod end or other sticks inserted under the nailed branches, 

 care being taken in doing it to uncover the fruit to the sun's rays. 



Nectarines. All the cultural remarks for Peaches apply to this fruit 

 too. One Nectarine will be planted to about four Peaches. 



Good Nectarines to plant are "Early Rivers" (very prolific), "Cardinal", 

 and " Lord Napier". [w. G. L.] 



Peaches and Nectarines under Glass. Peaches and Nectarines are 

 grown in many places under glass as a market crop. Of course these 

 fruits are nearly always to be found in large private gardens, from which 

 the surplus produce often competes in the market with that of the com- 



