208 Cultivation and Treatment of the Peach Tree 



tances, say about a foot apart; being careful to err on the 

 right side, and lay in too little rather than too much: select- 

 ing such shoots as will give the tree a systematical and hand- 

 some appearance. 



The pruning all done, and the shoots tied in their proper 

 places, give air every warm day, in order to keep the buds 

 from starting too early. The trees should be syringed with 

 the following preparation, before they begin to grow, in order 

 to destroy any insects, especially the red spider, which, in our 

 dry climate, is always a great pest, and, if the trees are not 

 examined very minutely, and attended to early, it will be dif- 

 ficult to exterminate them without considerable trouble, and, 

 perhaps, injury to the crop. This preparation, if applied as di- 

 rected, will stop their ravages, and, if continued once a week, 

 will effectually destroy them : — 



To ten pounds of flour of sulphur, add four pounds of quick 

 lime; put them into a tight cask, and then pour boiling water 

 over them just sufficient to slake the lime, adding altogether 

 about twelve gallons, then stir the whole well together, and, 

 as soon as they appear well mixed, cover the top of the cask 

 over with a tight mat, to keep the steam in; then let it stand 

 for a day or moie, when it will be well settled and ready for 

 use. Then proceed carefully to turn off" the water as clear 

 as possible, and put it away into some other vessel for use, 

 as occasion may require. A pint of this mixture will be suf- 

 ficient for four gallons of water. 



It is also probable, that when the trees are in a growing 

 state, they may be troubled with the aphis, or green fly, which 

 ;may be easily detected by the curling up of the leaves; they 

 I may be easily destroyed by a strong fumigation of tobacco, or 

 by syringing with whale oil, soap and water, but the former 

 imode is greatly preferable. 



The treatment for the third year will not differ much from 

 ■ that of the last season. The trees will have to be looked 

 over regularly throughout the summer, divesting them of all 

 superfluous wood, and tying in all shoots that require it. 



As soon as the wood begins to ripen, let down all the 

 sashes, so that there shall be a free circulation of air all 

 through the house night and day, until the frost begins to be 

 .rather severe. This will cause the trees to ripen their wood 



