REACHES* 20& 



trees, is highly rational : they are thus forced to 

 spend their vigour upon their bodies and roots, in- 

 stead of shooting up into the air with thin barks, which 

 are easily penetrated by the fly. 



"The best kind of peaches is said to be produced 

 from inoculation ; and upon an apricot stock, as they 

 are not liable to be injured by the fly ; and that peach 

 trees thus produced, grow larger and rise higher than 

 when on the peach stock. Grafting the peach upon 

 a plum stock has also been practised, with a view of 

 resisting the attack of the fly ; but tnis operation must 

 be performed under ground, otherwise an unsightly 

 knob will be the consequence of the peach tree over- 

 growing the plum stock, and endanger the breaking 

 off of the tree at the place of junction.* 



"The directions given by Forsyth, with respect to 

 wall peach trees, may be applied to our standard trees, 

 viz. to pinch oft all the strong shoots in June, the first 

 3^ear the tree bears ; which will make them throw out 

 side shoots : these, if not laid too thick, will make fine 

 bearing wood for the succeeding year. If the strong 

 shoots be suffered to grow to their full length they will 

 be large and spongy, and will neither produce good 

 fruit nor good wood for the following year. Some- 

 times weakly trees are covered with blossoms : but if 

 too much fruit be suffered to remain on them, they 

 will be weakened so much that they will never recov- 

 er. In that case, I would recommend picking off the 

 greater part of the fruit, to let the tree recover its 

 strength. When trees in this state are pruned, never 

 prune at a single flower bud ; as the shoot will be ei- 

 ther entirely killed, or, at least, die as far as the next 

 wood bud. 



* Mr. Cobbett, who has published a book on tlie subject of 

 gardening 1 , gives a decided preference to the plum stock for 

 peaches, as being- closer and harder wood. 



*18 



