PEACHES AND NECTARINES MULCHING AND TOP-DRESSINGS. g 3 



root moisture, of preventing attacks of mildew and red spider. When the fruit is set, 

 and the weather bright, syringing should be practised occasionally early in the morning. 

 After the weather becomes settled in June, syringing, or preferably washing the trees 

 with the garden engine, may be practised between 4 and 5 P.M. on bright days, 

 but must cease when the fruit commences ripening. After the crop is gathered and 

 the wood that has borne fruit, and is not required for extensions, has been cut out, the 

 requisite washings should be given to keep the foliage healthy, at the same time 

 taking care that the border is not dry below while the surface may be moist as a 

 result of the syringings. 



Mulching. A light covering of partially decayed stable manure applied to the 

 borders in May or early June, and added to from time to time to keep it about an inch 

 or two thick, will be valuable in preventing evaporation and encouraging surface roots. 

 It is a bad practice, however, to apply the mulching before the soil has become warmed 

 by the early summer sun. Avoid very thick coverings of manure, as they exclude air 

 and induce fruitless growths. In the absence of stable manure, lawn mowings and 

 vegetable refuse scattered on the borders lessen the need of waterings in dry periods, 

 whilst nourishing the surface roots. 



Top-dressings. Mixtures of various kinds are termed top-dressings, and are as bene- 

 ficial to outdoor trees, in narrow borders, as to trees grown under glass. Good loam 

 from an old pasture, chopped up moderately small, three parts ; decayed manure, one 

 part ; with a 9-inch potful of bone meal, and two 9-inch potsful of wood ashes to every 

 3 bushels of the loam and manure, mixed, form an excellent annual dressing for placing 

 on the border after removing the remains of the mulching, and scraping off the loose 

 surface soil when the leaves have fallen from the trees. An inch thickness of the 

 compost is ample. The debris of the garden, such as grass-edge parings, potting-bench 

 waste, vegetable refuse, hedge trimmings reduced to ashes, and a 9-inch potful of 

 Thomas' phosphate powder added to every 3 bushels of the mixture, may be used with 

 good effect. 



Manures and Feeding. Peach and nectarine trees require potash and phosphoric 

 acid largely, more magnesia than lime, and a little iron. Potash may be supplied in 

 wood ash. This, from twigs and small wood, free from earth and kept dry, contains 85 

 per cent, of potash and 2 per cent, of phosphoric acid, or, say, 4^ pounds of potash and 

 1 pound of phosphoric acid per bushel. A peck per rod is a sufficient dressing, and may 

 be applied in autumn or early in spring. Nitrogen, however, is indispensable, and may 



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