138 FRUIT-GARDENING. 



out arriving at any satisfactory conclusion. As a remedy for 

 the .yellows Mr. Floy recommends budding the Peach on Plum- 

 stocks. He writes: "The Plum-stock is undoubtedly the 

 best foi Peaches and Nectarines in the Northern and Eastern 

 States ; but especially for open dwarfs or espaliers, for which I 

 give the following reasons: First. The Plum-stock prevents 

 the too rapid growth of the shoots, and causes the principals to 

 bear the fruit the following season, instead of producing late- 

 ral shoots the same season, and causing the tree to be more 

 dwarf. The branches are strong and fruitful to the bottom of 

 the shoot, thereby having more fruit in a smaller compass. 

 Secondly. It makes harder and less pithy wood, and enables 

 it the better to withstand the cold ; and this may be easily 

 proved by cutting the branches of each. The shoot on the 

 Plum-stock will be twice as hard and firm as the one on the 

 Peach-stock. But, Thirdly, and the most important reason is, 

 that the Plum ceases to send up its sap early in autumn, 

 causing the Peach to perfect its wood before the cold weather 

 sets in." 



It is also evident that a tree deprived of its functions or 

 means of growing luxuriantly, is in a similar situation to a dis- 

 eased animal. If disease be not checked before the juices of 

 the tree become putrid, it will not only die, but will contami- 

 nate the earth in which it is planted, to the destruction of its 

 neighboring inmates of the garden or field. All experienced 

 nursery-men admit this to be the case with diseased Peach- 

 trees, and some have actually abandoned their Peach-orchards, 

 and chosen fresh ground for new plantations. 



It is precisely the same with smaller vegetable plants, A 

 diseased Cabbage, for instance, by its excremental and corrupt 

 juices being spent in the ground, will render the cultivation of 

 the same or allied species a casualty ; and daily observation 

 teacheth, that young and thrifty plants often fall a prey to 

 worms and reptiles which were generated by a previous crop. 



Deep planting and injudicious culture are the causes 

 of most of the diseases and failures of fruit-trees ; and in 



