196 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



recollected, that neither the stones nor seedling 

 trees should be planted on ground lately occupied 

 by peach trees, unless the whole of the old roots 

 be removed, and fresh mould be put in to supply 

 the place of the old. But the most certain me- 

 thod of preserving a particular variety is by bud- 

 ding; peach trees thus obtained, always afford fruit 

 in size, colour, and taste, exactly similar to that of 

 the tree from which the bud was taken, and come 

 sooner into a bearing state. Stocks, on which 

 peaches may be budded, besides (hose of their 

 own kind, are the almond, the apricot, and the 

 plum. The proper season for budding, is the month 

 of August, and the operation is to be performed 

 in the manner directed for apples and pears. In 

 two or three years after budding, they bear fruit 

 In taking up the young trees, care must be taken to 

 preserve the roots as much as possible. Such 

 parts as are bruised should be removed, and the 

 small roots may be a little shortened. It is impor- 

 tant that the trees be equally filled with side 

 shoots from top to bottom; for when suffered to 

 run up in single branches, the trees in general are 

 so weak and spongy, that they are unable to bear 

 good fruit. Accordingly, when the seedlings are 

 about one year old, Mr. Forsyth recommends to 

 head them down to five or six buds, or otherwise 

 to cut off the extremities of the leading shoots, 

 which will make them send out side shoots, and 

 form a handsome, fruitful tree. None of the shoots 

 should be suffered to grow too long during the first 

 and second years, which is easily prevented by 

 pinching off the tops of them with the fingers dur- 

 ing the month of June. When peach trees come 

 into a bearing state, they produce two sorts of 

 buds : where three stand close together, the two 

 on each side are called flower or blossom buds, and 

 the central one is called a wood bud. The former 

 rise immediately from the eyes of the shoots, and 



