206 Cultivation and Treatment of the Peach Tree 



When the soil is in readiness, commence filhng up the bor- 

 der, mixing the materials in proportion, and turning them in 

 as rough as possible. After allowing a sufficient time for the 

 compost to be well settled, nothing remains to be done, but to 

 begin to plant the trees, in their respective places. As regards 

 season. I consider the fall the best time, if the trees can be pro- 

 cured, but, if not convenient at that season, they should be plant- 

 ed as early in the spring as possible. A good selection of trees 

 is important, for many individuals think large are prefer- 

 able to small ones. For training, no tree should be more 

 than one year from the bud, and should have a straight clean 

 stem. 



Proceed now to open the holes about twelve feet apart, 

 along the inside front of the house, allowing them to extend 

 outside under the arches. Then proceed to plant the trees, 

 keeping the roots as near the surface as possible, spreading 

 them out with great care under the arches, in the fan 

 shape, so that the roots, when the tree begins to grow, will 

 run into the outside border. The planter must also bear in 

 mind, that he is planting trees which will last for years, and, 

 if some extra pains are taken, even if it occupies a little more 

 time to perform the work, he will be amply repaid in the end 

 for his trouble. As soon as the operation of planting is com- 

 pleted, each tree should receive a moderate watering, to settle 

 the earth about the roots. This done, commence setting out 

 the trees along the back wall, in the same manner, only that 

 those at the back of the house, should have all their roots 

 spread out towards the front, and if the house is very wide, 

 there can easily be a neat half-circular trellis put down, to 

 train another row of trees to, having the front posts of it 

 about two feet from the front row of trees. Though the fruit 

 will never be so fine, on such trillises, as that from the trees 

 trained on the rafters of the house, being rather too far from 

 the glass, and shaded partially by the other trees, yet I have 

 often known them to produce very fine fruit. 



The planting all completed, which I shall suppose to be 

 done early in spring, the next and principal work will be the 

 pruning. The trees should now be headed down to three eyes, 

 above the lower part of the trellis, from where it is wished to 



