AMYGDALACE/E. II. PERSICA. 



491 



year, and retaining a plentiful supply of good lateral shoots in 

 all parts of the tree. If any blank is to be filled up, some 

 conveniently-placed strong shoot is shortened in June to a few 

 eyes, in order that it may throw out laterals. Sir Joseph Banks, 

 in speaking of the culture of peaches at Montreuil, near Paris 

 (Hort. trans, vol. 1. append.) says, " Much advantage is de- 

 rived from the practice of rubbing off the leaf-buds from the 

 fruit-bearing branches, leaving only as many as are wanted to 

 produce wood for the succeeding year. The taille d'ete does 

 not only leave the remaining wood to grow stronger and to 

 ripen sooner, but it naturally increases the size of the fruit. 

 The fruit is thinned after the stoning season, as already de- 

 scribed for thinning of wall fruit." In a peach-house, in a state 

 of bearing, when the fruit is swelling off, in order that it may 

 attain a greater degree of perfection, such leaves and summer 

 shoots as overhang and shade the fruit are taken off or thinned. 

 The leaves of peach trees " may be dressed off," when the wood 

 is ripened, by the use of a withy or small cane, which is more 

 necessary in a house than if the trees were growing in the open 

 air, where the wind or frost may make them tumble down fast. 

 In the newly-planted peach-house the dwarfs must be well cut 

 in, in order to make them push shoots freely for furnishing the 

 trellis next season. Those situated in the lower and middle 

 parts of the tree should be cut back to half their lengths, or to 

 a few buds, less or more according to their strength ; and those 

 of the extremities to one-third or to about half their lengths, also 

 according to their strength, and how well they have been ri- 

 pened. They should be thinned so at this time, as that the 

 shoots which are to issue from them next season may be laid in 

 at the medium distance of about 6 inches. The riders need 

 not be pruned near so much as the dwarfs, as they are wished 

 to produce a crop of fruit the following season, shortening no 

 shoots that are fully ripened, except a few of those at the ex- 

 tremities of the tree, in order to make them throw out others 

 for its full extension upwards next year. 



Stirring the soil. The borders are to be pointed and forked 

 up after pruning, and a little well-rotted dung or compost added 

 where deemed necessary. That part of the border on the out- 

 side may in addition be covered with dung, and after forcing 

 is commenced, those in the inside may be occasionally watered 

 with the drainings of the dung-hill. Kal. 324 and 438. 



Time of beginning to force. From the rise of the sap, ac- 

 cording to Abercrombie, it occupies, in some sorts, about 4 

 months to make mature fruit ; in the later varieties 5 months ; 

 and when much of winter is included in the course of forcing, 

 the time is proportionably lengthened. To ripen moderately 

 early kinds by the end of May, begin to force on the 21st of 

 December. Little is gained by commencing sooner. But you 

 may put on the glasses a week before, and make gentle fires, 

 admitting a constant stream of fresh air, to get the house ready. 

 M'Phail says, " Those who wish to have peaches and nectarines 

 ripe in May, should begin to force them about the beginning or 

 middle of December." For a general crop, Nicol, Weeks, and 

 most gardeners recommend forcing to begin in the month of 

 February. He says it is much better to force too slow than 

 too fast. 



Temperature. Abercrombie directs to begin at 42 min. 

 and 45 max. from sun heat, and rise in a fortnight to 45 min. 

 and 50 max. from sun heat ; in the progress of the second 

 fortnight augment the temperature from 3 to 8 degrees, so as 

 to have it at the close up to 53 min. and 56 max. from sun 

 heat, admitting air in some degree daily. When the trees are 

 in blossom, let the heat be 55 min. and 60 max. Continue to 

 aim at this till the fruit is set, then raise the minimum to 60 

 and the artificial maximum to 65, in order to allow of giving 

 air. When the sun shines do not let the maximum from col- 



lected heat pass 70, rather employ the opportunity to admit a 

 free circulation of air. M'Phail, beginning in February, keeps 

 the thermometer to about 55, increasing it as the days lengthen; 

 when the fruit is set and swelling, raise it to 60 with fire heat ; 

 when the sun shines, let it rise to 65 or 70 with air. A short time 

 before the fruit begins to ripen, from 55 to 70 is not too much 

 with fire heat, and when the sun shines let it rise a little above 

 75. In a house, begun to force on the 1st of February, Nicol 

 begins with 45 for the first fortnight, and then increases the 

 heat to 50 or 52. The times of regulation are supposed to be 

 at 6 or 7 o'clock in the morning and 8 or 9 o'clock at night. At 

 the end of the month the temperature is to be kept as steadily 

 as possible to 55. In two months keep it to about 65, seldom 

 allowing it to pass 70, which if it does, will have the effect 

 of drawing the shoots up weak, and may cause the setting fruit 

 to drop. He recommends CO by fire heat, mornings and even- 

 ings, as proper after the fruit are fairly stoned. T. A. Knight 

 finds that neither peaches nor nectarines acquire perfection either 

 in richness or flavour, unless they be exposed to the full in- 

 fluence of the air and sun during their last swelling, without 

 the intervention of the glass. In consequence, he says, some 

 gardeners take off the lights wholly before the fruit begins to 

 ripen, but he recommends taking them off only in bright sun- 

 shine, and putting them on during rain, and at night to protect 

 the fruit from dews, &c. 



Air. A constant stream of fresh air is to be admitted before 

 beginning to force, and plenty of air, when the sun shines, 

 during the whole progress of forcing. M'Phail says, " when 

 the fruit is set and swelling, give the house air every day, whether 

 the sun shine or not. Give plenty of air, and keep the house 

 dry when the fruit begins to ripen." When the intention is to 

 begin to force on the first of February, Nicol shuts up the house 

 from the middle of January, admitting plenty of free air through 

 the day. During the first month of forcing, he admits air freely 

 " every day, even in frosty weather, by the sashes, till the 

 flowers begin to expand, after which time by the ventilators, 

 except in fresh weather, till the season become mild." Air 

 should be admitted all this month to such an extent as to keep 

 down the temperature in sunshine to within 5 of the fire heat 

 medium, and this in order to strengthen the buds as they break, 

 and that the young shoots may spring in a vigorous manner. 

 Admit large portions of air every day when the fruit is swelling 

 off, except in damp weather, from 7 or 8 o'clock in the morning 

 to 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening, opening the sashes to their 

 fullest extent, from 10 to 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, giving 

 and reducing gradually, &c. 



Watering and steaming. " While the fruit is in blossom," 

 Abercrombie observes, " steaming the flues must be substi- 

 tuted for watering over the leaves ; at the same time you may 

 water the roots now and then gently, avoiding such a copious 

 supply as might risk the dropping of the fruit to be set. Let 

 the water be warmed to the air of the house." M'Phail directs 

 to keep the border moist by watering ; and after the fruit are 

 as big as nuts, sprinkle the flues now and then with water, to 

 raise steam, and wash the trees about once a week with clean 

 water, not too cold. It is better not to wash all over the top 

 till the fruit are set. A sunshiny morning is to be preferred, 

 and the water may be about 65. Do not water after the fruit 

 begins to ripen, but recommence when it is all gathered (Gard. 

 rem. p. 148. and 191.) Newly planted peach trees should be 

 freely supplied with water at the roots throughout the season, in 

 order to promote their growth ; and the engine must be applied 

 with force to the branches for the suppression of the red spider, 

 and refreshing the foliage, generally once in two or three days 

 (Gard. kal. p. 358). In a fruit-bearing house, after the fruit 

 is set, water should be given pretty freely to the plants at the 

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