SPIRIT OF THE MONTHLIES. 363 



[From the Boston Cultivator.] 



ON THE RAISING OF PEACHES. 



PROCURING HARDY VARIETIES. 



Last week we made some general remarks on raising peaches, 

 in New England. This can only be done with success by a choice 

 collection adapted to this climate. The first thing is to gel good seed, 

 whether you intend to raise natural fruit, or raise selected kinds by 

 budding. The most hardy and durable trees are those raised from 

 seed, without budding. Select seed from hardy trees and good bear- 

 ers, that produce good sized handsome fruit of an excellent quality : 

 prefer those from natural trees, that is, such as have never been 

 budded or grafted. Then you will generally get the same excellent 

 fruit as that from which the seed is taken ; and if you bud, it is but 

 to get hardy stocks. It may be well to plant seed from some highly 

 valuable budded varieties, in order to get new kinds. 



In almost ever}'' section of the coiinlry, where any attention has 

 been paid to the cultivation of this fruit, excellent kinds of natural 

 growth can be obtained. We collected seeds from a number of su- 

 perior varieties last fall, from which we now have trees. We found 

 five excellent sorts of natural fruit, in the distance of seven or eight 

 miles. 



By all means avoid southern trees, seeds, and buds for grafting ; 

 as a large list of highly valuable varieties can be found in this nor- 

 thern region, which have been acclimated, and, with a judicious se- 

 lection, may be found free from disease, constitutional or incidental. 

 We have long recommended the use of northern seeds either for 

 trees or stocks, and have refused southern peach stones when offer- 

 ed as a gift, and paid a high price for those grown in the north. Too 

 many trees grown in this" section are from southern fruit ; hence, in 

 a measure, the deslruciion of trees by cold winters. 



One cultivator who has had much experience, informs us that he 

 used to save carefully every peach tree that came up under his trees 

 of excellent budded fruit ; but he found such stocks soft, short-lived, 

 and liable to be winter-killed : he now digs up such trees as he would 

 a weed, and late in the fall, he looks out for some peaches from old, 

 long-lived, natural trees, and from these he takes seeds to form 

 stocks, and though they may not grow so rapidly, they will be firm, 

 hard and durable. This is what we advised some years ago, as we 

 had learned from experience and observation. 



In getting trees or seeds from the south, besides the disadvantages 

 we have named, we are liable to introduce the yellows and other 

 diseases. We have seen some peach trees, of natural growth, that 

 were over thirty years old, and yet produced good fruit. The seeds 

 of such old standards that have braved the blasts of many winters, 

 are highly valuable. 



VOL. II. NO. II. Y 



