370 PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 



and when it is removed the wound will soon heal up, and 

 the danger is over ; but if suffered to remain in the tree un- 

 til the fall of the year, it will eat downwards, going round 

 the tree to get winter quarters, increasing in size as it pro- 

 ceeds, and the tree is in danger of being destroyed. A 

 Peach Orchard of many acres might be kept free of the 

 worms by going over it weekly and examining the trees ; af- 

 ter a shower of rain is a good time, as the gum can then be 

 more readily discovered : but unless the ground is kept 

 clean from grass and weeds, well cultivated and manured, 

 it cannot be expected that Peaches will keep healthy and 

 the trees fruitful. Attention must be paid to the directions 

 for pruning, &c., and the cultivator will be amply repaid with 

 a good crop of the finest fruit for his pains. The curl leaf 

 which appears on Peach trees in the spring of the year is 

 always caused by cold chilly weather which happens after 

 the leaves are put out and the blossoming over. It is not 

 a disease, however : after the warm weather sets in, these 

 leaves drop, and the tree assumes a healthy appearance. 

 Sometimes the leaves and tops of the shoots will have a 

 mildewy appearance, or as if sprinkled over with soap suds, 

 and this will appear all summer. I have remarked this on 

 some of our finest kinds of Peaches. Where this mildew 

 appearance occurs, it shows that the trees require a warmer 

 aspect and a drier bottom ; for it is evident, that some kinds 

 of Peaches are more delicate and tender than others. 

 When they are transplanted (which should be in the spring) 

 the tops of the roots should be shortened a little, the tree 

 pruned carefully, and all the young shoots shortened to about 

 one half of their length, which will remedy this defect. I 

 am aware of the doctrine of trees running out by age in the 

 sort, &c. Let that go for what it is worth : because the 

 subject was broached by a great man upon guess work, 

 every little one is ready enough to offer this as a plea for 

 every failure of fruit indolence and bad management not 

 excepted. 



If this theory be true, how does it happen that the 

 little English Golden Pippin, the sort supposed to have 

 run out many years ago, is still very plentiful, and the 

 tree very healthy and thrifty if planted in situations fa- 

 vourable to its nature ; (see page 12 ;) and the Autumn 

 Bergamot Pear introduced into England in the time of Julius 

 Caesar, (see page 231,) planted in proper situations, is as 

 healthy now, and bears as good crops as it ever did, and 



