280 THE PEACH. 



tricts, is unquestionably owing to the rapidity with which 

 the soil is impoverished. We have, on the contrary, seen 

 much larger, finer, and richer flavored peaches produced for 

 a long time successively on mellow loam, containing but little 

 sand, than upon any other soil whatever." 



In transplanting for an orchard, the practice of shorteni?ig- 

 in the shoots, described in the chapter on transplanting, should 

 be invariably attended to, as it is of the greatest importance 

 in the safe removal of peach trees. Trees two years from 

 the bud, where this practice is observed, will be found de- 

 cidedly better than those of one year only, for the regions of 

 the north. Fifteen to twenty feet apart is the common dis- 

 tance for orchards ; but as better crops and better fruit is 

 obtained where the heads are kept well shortened-in, and 

 consequently within less compass, a distance of twelve feet 

 only will be found sufficient. The best culture consisting in 

 the absence of all other crops on the ground, the nearerd is- 

 tance will be found the most profitable. A distance of 

 twelve feet apart will give more than three hundred trees 

 per acre ; fifteen feet less than two hundred ; and twenty 

 feet scarcely more than one hundred. 



While the trees are small, the intermediate spaces be- 

 tween the rows may be cultivated with low hoed crops ; but 

 afterwards it will be found best to keep the ground perfect- 

 ly clean and mellow by plowing and harrowing. Where 

 soils are very shallow, top dressing with manure in autumn, 

 and frequent harrowing, have been found best ; the roots 

 being thus brought near the surface, deep plowing proves 

 injurious. But where soils are deep and fertile, plowing 

 may be occasionally resorted to without injury. 



The principle on which rotation in crops is founded, dic- 

 tates that two crops of peach trees, whether in the nursery 

 or orchard, should riot be given successively on the same 

 piece of ground ; diminished growth in all such instances 

 being the result. 



One of the best manures for the peach tree is ashes, whe- 

 ther fresh or leached; hence all composts with this constitu- 

 ent in large proportion, are eminently beneficial to peach 

 orchards. When applied alone, half a peck of fresh, and 

 half a bushel of leached ashes to each tree, is a suitable 

 quantity. For a useful mode of application, see remarks on 

 a future page under she head Peach-worm. 



