AMY 



AMY 



strong. adhesive lands, are particularly subject to 

 be affected in this way. 



The aspects most advantageous for trees of this 

 description are such as have the greatest com- 

 mand of the south sun ; but an eastern or west- 

 ern exposure has sometimes been found to an- 

 swer tolerably well. 



But whatever the nature of the aspect may be, 

 it is always necessary that they he trained against 

 a wall, as they never succeed so well when 

 placed against wooden fences ; and, if the walls 

 have a projecting coping, are found to be bet- 

 ter protected from frosts in the early spring 

 months. 



Choice of Trees. — It is thought by Mr. For- 

 syth, that in selecting this sort of tree, such plants 

 as have the strongest and cleanest stems should 

 always he preferred, and that those that have been 

 headed down, and are of two or three years' 

 growth, will fill the walls, and fruit much sooner 

 than where the contrary is the case. Plants with 

 one stem arc supposed by much the best, as in 

 training they leave no interval of the wall unco- 

 vered. That it is the common practice to prefer 

 trees with the smallest stems he is well aware, 

 but thinks the shoots they afford are always 

 weaker than in others. 



The gardener should always be early in pro- 

 curing trees of this sort from the nurseries, as 

 otherwise he will only have those that have been 

 repeatedly picked through to select from. 



Maiden or un-cut-down trees, of one or two 

 years' growth from the bud, are in general to be 

 preferred ; but where they are wanted to cover 

 the walls, and bear as soon as possible, trained 

 trees must be provided. The former are advan- 

 tageous in establishing and fixing themselves in 

 the soils much better than the latter, besides be- 

 ing procured at much less expense, and admit- 

 ting of being trained in a better manner. 



Planting. — The autumn or the spring are the 

 only proper seasons of planting trees of this kind. 

 Perhaps the best season for performing this husi- 

 ness, in warm dry soils, is October or Novem- 

 ber, as soon as the leaves begin to fall; but the 

 spring months, as February and March, are 

 probably to be preferred in very moist or wet 

 soils. 



If the borders be new, whatever season may 

 be appropriated to the performance of this work, 

 the ground should, according to Mr. Forsyth, be 

 well trenched over before planting the trees ; and 

 where they are to supply the places of such trees 

 as have died, or have been removed, great care 

 should be taken to clear away the old roots, and 

 to put fresh mould into the places from whence 

 the old trees were removed, laying the new earth 

 sufficiently above the old^ but by no means to 



plant the trees too deep, as by this means they 

 are frequently injured ; as where the trees are not 

 kept above the level of the old ground at first, 

 they seldom thrive well. After planting-, the 

 roots should be well watered, and suffered to re- 

 main till the whole of the water has been taken 

 up, the earth then well trodden round them, and 

 filled to an even surface : when planted in the 

 autumn, the trees should remain without being 

 pruned until the spring. 



It is mostly recommended that trees of this 

 sort, as well as those of others designed for walls, 

 when of one year's growth from the bud, with 

 heads entire, should at once be planted into their 

 permanent situations ; by which, as a chief point 

 to the well forming them, they may for the two 

 first years be more perfectly pruned and trained. 



From about twelve to fifteen feet from each 

 other is in general the proper distance of plant- 

 ing peach trees. If the walls are high, half 

 or full standards may sometimes be planted be- 

 tween the dwarfs, to fill the upper parts until the 

 dwarfs grow of sufficient height to cover them. 

 But when the walls do not exceed eight feet in 

 height, only dwarf trees should be planted, at 

 the distance mentioned above : if of nine feet in 

 height, half standards of three or four feet stem 

 may be introduced in the intermediate spaces; 

 when of ten or twelve feet, recourse may be had 

 to full standards, with stems of five or six feet 

 to cover the upper parts, removing annually the 

 lower branches of the standards as the dwarf 

 trees approach them, and at length taking them 

 wholly away, when all the space will be oc- 

 cupied by the dwarf trees. 



Great care should always be observed, in re- 

 moving trees of this sort from the nursery, that 

 the roots be kept as entire as possible, cutting 

 away any part that may happen to be bruised, as 

 well as shortening the long small roots. 



In planting them, a space of four or five 

 inches from the wall is the proper distance, the 

 buds being placed outwards, the head a little in- 

 clining to the wall, which, to prevent any injury 

 from the winds, may be tacked to the wall im- 

 mediately; watering moderately once or twice 

 a week, if the ensuing spring should prove dry 

 and hot. 



Pruning. — Trees which have been planted with 

 the heads from the bud entire, should be headed 

 down in March or April, when they just beo-in, 

 to shoot, by shortening the main shoot within a 

 few eyes of the bud, in a sloping direction to- 

 wards the wall. This is proper to be done in 

 order to form them into good trees, as, by pre- 

 venting the upward direction, it causes lateral 

 shoots to be sent out near the parts they are bud- 

 ded from. In attending to the shoots that are 



