MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH. / 



order during the many years (twenty -five or thirty) of 

 its existence, provided that contingent circumstances 

 admit of so long an existence. These circumstances 

 comprise certain precautions : first, in the due prepara- 

 tion of the border, which should be thoroughly drained, 

 and elevated fully six inches above the ground level ; 

 and secondly, the border on which the trees are planted 

 should never be dug with a spade, but with a short 

 digging fork, nor should it be dug more than seven or 

 eight inches deep. This depth will be quite enough, 

 just as for early radishes, dwarf beans, or potatoes. 

 An incalculable injury is done to the trees when the 

 ground is dug deep with a spade. The roots are lace- 

 rated, bruised, and sometimes fearfully maimed. The 

 consequence is that suckers are thrown up about the 

 collar of the plant, the trees gum, and death ensues 

 before they have come to what may be called maturity. 

 The mischief is almost past remedy, but more of this 

 in due time. 



If Fig. 7 is not past age, and possesses only a few 

 buds of young wood in the body of the tree, my advice 

 is to cut it back at once without hesitation like Fig. 8, 



Fig. 8. 



when a new tree will be obtained like Fig. 9. It 's 

 possible that a strongly constituted tree will make very 

 vigorous growth the first season after cutting-in so 

 severely. In such a case lay in all the young summer 

 growth possible, as well as in the winter also, till the 

 tree gets tamed down a bit. When it possesses a good 

 stock of fruit-bearing wood treat it as you would Fig. 6. 



