PEACHES AND NECTARINES PLANTING. 69 



crushed, and all pieces of wood picked out, one part, and the same of road scrapings, 

 well ameliorated. 2. Sandy loam, three parts ; clay, dried and pounded, two parts ; 

 old mortar or chalk, smashed or weathered, one part. 3. Gravelly loam, three parts ; 

 clay marl, two parts. Chop the turfy loam in pieces about 2 inches square, mix the 

 ingredients well, after adding 1 gallon of wood ashes to every barrowful of the respective 

 mixtures. If the loam in any case is poor, add one-fifth of reduced stable manure 

 to heavy, and a similar proportion of farmyard manure to light, loam. Yery rich soil, 

 however, must be avoided, as it tends to over-luxuriance, ill health, and unfruitfulness. 

 Distance of Trees. This will be determined by the mode of training. 1. Single 

 cordons, to be trained diagonally, may be planted 2 feet apart ; a border 3 feet wide 

 suffices for these trees. 2. " U " system, two upright branches with bearing wood trained 

 at an angle of 45 moderate- growing varieties 4 feet, strong-growing varieties 5 feet 

 apart ; the border need not exceed 4 feet in width for trees on this method. 3. Fan- 

 trained trees, 15 feet apart against a 12-feet wall, with a 6-feet standard between 

 them; against a wall of 9 or 10 feet a planting distance of 18 feet is ample for 

 the permanent trees, with 4^-feet standards between. The latter, known as " riders," 

 are only intended to make the most of the space from the beginning, and as the dwarf 

 trees advance the riders must be cut away. 



Planting. It is imperative that the trees selected be moderately vigorous, clean, 

 short-jointed, with well-ripened wood, and no trace of gum anywhere. Home- 

 grown trees, especially those that can be moved with balls, may be transplanted with 

 advantage when the wood is hard and the leaves mature. Trees from a distance 

 should have cast their leaves, except a few on sappy laterals. Koot action and growth 

 commence early, and the trees cannot be removed in spring without some check, but 

 by planting as early in the autumn as is safe, the trees take to the soil at once, and 

 are prepared to make responsive growth with the return of spring. Spread out the roots, 

 cut off broken or bruised parts, and plant so that the uppermost roots will not 

 be covered more than 2 inches deep when the soil is returned to its proper level. Allow 

 a space of 4 to 6 inches between the wall and the tree. Firm the soil well, and give 

 water if dry not otherwise ; cover the surface as far as the roots extend with stable 

 litter ; secure the branches very loosely to the wall, and do not attempt training until 

 the spring or when the soil has properly settled. When a tree dies or becomes so 

 unprofitable as to necessitate its removal, it is useless planting a young tree in its place 

 and expecting it to flourish unless the old soil is removed at least a foot farther 



