92 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



management somewhere else. The owner of a peach-house has a perfect right 

 to expect a fair crop every year. We have no unfavorable weather conditions 

 to contend with, and no Spring frosts to fight. We have the means at com- 

 mand for creating the ideal Peach temperatuie. Yet more Peaches have prob- 

 ably been damaged by too much heat than by anything else, particularly in 

 early forcing. On the Peach tree, when brought along with Nature's tempera- 

 tures, the blooms will start swelling in a comparatively low temperature. This 

 shows that we would be going against Nature by rushing in much heat when first 

 starting up a house. Although we may have artificial heat at command, it 

 needs judgment to start up a fruithouse in December. Follow the guidance 

 of Nature as much as possible. When the buds commence to move, gradually 

 increase the heat. Too much heat will cause the fruit buds to drop, or if they 

 do not drop, the blossoms will be weak and lack substance very undesirable. 

 Under these conditions the flowers are apt to fall off before the fruit has set. 



In our climate we can produce wonderful results with the Peach and Nec- 

 tarine under glass. The trees will make rapid growth. In three or four years 

 they will grow into large trees capable of carrying a crop of 200 fruit to the 

 tree, or more. The wood should be thoroughly ripened up in the Fall, as the 

 amount of sunshine is much greater here than in less favored climates, with 

 the result that the trees will withstand 20° or 25° of frost in the house, with 

 no injury whatever to the buds. I think that the trees are considerably im- 

 proved by a certain amount of freezing. Some good fruit growers will not 

 allow much frost in the house, but if the trees are well ripened, frost is beneficial 

 rather than harmful. 



The general method of propagation is to plant the stone of the Peach or 

 Nectarine, with a \iew to obtaining new and improved varieties. This is not 

 done haphazard, but promising varieties are selected and certain flowers are 

 fertilized with the pollen from another kind. A record of this operation is kept. 

 Wonderful results have been obtained by crossing the Peach with the Nec- 

 tarine. One of the most prominent and handsome midseason Peaches which 

 we have for forcing purposes is Peregrine, a seedling from the Spencer Nec- 

 tarine. No collection is complete without the Peregrine Peach. It is com- 

 paratively new, but all who have tried it speak highly of it for indoor work, 

 because of its flavor and handsome appearance. 



BUDDING 



Most of our Peaches are probably budded on the Peach stock, although 

 this stock is very undesirable for forcing, as the trees have a tendency to rank 

 growth. All Peaches for growing under glass should be budded on Plum stock. 

 At times the wood of the Peach will grow away more rapidly than that of the 

 Plum and, if left to itself, it would get what we term hide-bound. But a straight 

 cut through the bark of the Plum will often remedy this evil, especially if done 

 in time. Another point in favor of the Plum stock is that the Peach borer, 

 which is troublesome under glass as well as in the open, will make less headway 

 on this stock than on the Peach, for the latter is somewhat softer and more 

 easily bored into. 



