PEACHES. 201 



the straw resting upon the ground at the bottom ; 

 bind this straw round the tree with three bands, one 

 near the top, one at the middle, and the third at the 

 surface of the earth ; then fill up the hole at the root 

 with earth, and press it closely round the straw. 

 When the white frosts appear, the straw should be re- 

 moved, and the tree remain uncovered till the blos- 

 soms put out in the spring. 



"By this process, the fly is prevented from deposit- 

 ing its egg within three feet of the root, and although 

 it may place the egg above that distance, the worm 

 travels so slow that it cannot reach the ground before 

 frost, and therefore it is killed before it is able to in- 

 jure the tree. 



"The truth of the principle is proved by the fol- 

 lowing fact, I practised this method with a large 

 number of peach trees, and they flourished remarka- 

 bly well, without any appearance of injury from the 

 worm, for several years, when I was induced to dis- 

 continue the straw with about twenty of them. Ml 

 those, which are without the straw have declined, while the 

 others, which have had the straw, continue as vigorous as 

 ever"* 



"To guard against frost, plant the trees where the 

 water will run off, and procure the sweetest and rich- 

 est fruit, as the inferiour qualities are more injured by 

 cold. 



"The splitting of the tree at the forks is guarded a- 

 gainst by preserving as many upright branches as can 

 be spared, by breaking off, in bearing years, more than 

 half the quantity of fruit while small, and by pruning 

 almost the whole of every branch beyond where the 

 fruit is set, leaving only a few buds on each, of the 

 succeeding year's fruit. The size of the fruit is by 



* A band of matting, extending 1 about six inches above, and 

 the same beneath the surface of the earth, may be found prefer- 

 able to straw, as it is easier applied, 

 18 



