160 



PEACH CULTURE. 



as to promote and accelerate the ripening of the fruit. 

 Soap-suds are excellent for this, as they not only keep 

 the trees clean, but afford a safe and very appropriate 

 nourishment. 



CULTIVATION IN POTS. 



The peach, like almost every other fruit tree, can be 



successfully grown in pots or vases. When this is desir- 

 ed, procure a pot about two feet deep, and 

 fifteen inches wide at the greatest diameter, 

 and of the usual shape. It may be larger or 

 smaller as the taste of the amateur inclines 

 him. Fill this with a rich mould, mixe<l freely 

 with ashes or bone-dust. In this, plant a 

 thrifty young tret) from the nursery, which 

 you will cut down to one foot, and the lower 



branches to the height of six inches, cut off close to the 



stem, and the remaining buds sliortened-in to two buds 



each, as in fig. 26. This should be done in autumn, and the 



pot kept in the cellar during winter. 



The next spring it should be set out 



early. It will grow very fast and 



vigorously, and become quite stout 



and stocky. In the fall, say about 



the first of September, north of the 



fortieth parallel, and south of that, 



the first of October, the season's 



growth should again *be short ened- 



in to three buds, as shown by the 



cross-lines in figure 27, and thus 



prepared for a crop the next year. 



well attended, and met with nothing to injure or retard 



it, well developed fruit-buds will be formed, and the next 



season you will have a crop of beautiful fruit. And if you 



put it in a conservatory, or cold grapery, you can 



Fig. 27. POT CULTURE. 

 If the tree has been 



