PEACHES AND NECTARINES 



PLANTING 



Peach trees may be planted either in the early Spring or in the Fall, though 

 I decidedly prefer the early Fall, or soon after they have cast their foliage. If 

 planted in the early Fall, the young trees will probably make a few new roots, 

 which will be of great benefit to them when they start up in the Spring. For 

 a test you may, in starting your house, plant one half in the early Fall and the 

 other half in Spring. The results will surely lead you to do your further plant- 

 ings in the Fall. However, if the house is not in shape for planting until De- 

 cember, wait until the turn of the year, for there is no advantage in planting 

 at that late date, as root action would be perfectly dormant then. 



Get the very best grade of stock obtainable. In our climate, with its 

 plentiful sunlight, results come quickly, as the trees will make a remarkably 

 luxuriant growth under this treatment. Peaches may be gathered the first 

 season, if required, for by securing a few pot-grown trees, eight to ten ripe fruit 

 may be taken from each tree. Many varieties that I shall recommend must 

 be imported from " the other side," particularly Nectarines. I have found, 

 in my experience of importing these trees, that Peaches and Nectarines grown 

 in pots are far more satisfactory for importing than trees dug out of the nursery. 

 The pot trees will start off unaffected by the 3,000-mile journey. I have never 

 lost an imported pot-grown tree, whereas trees from the nursery did not prove 

 satisfactory. Fruit growers in Europe are beginning to realize this fact and 

 annually grow a large quantity of trees for export. These trees can be trained 

 readily into any shape desired. In ordering it is well to state for what purpose 

 the trees are wanted, whether for training or otherwise. These pot trees will 

 not be trained trees, but will be selected with a view to adjusting them easily 

 to any form desired. If quick results are wanted, it is well to secure the trees 

 in advance. For instance, if a range of fruit-houses is contemplated, the work 

 of building is generally begun in the early Spring, and the number of trees re- 

 quired may be secured at once and trained into form to suit the house. Get 

 nice, thrifty, young pot-grown trees for this purpose, repot them into pots a 

 couple sizes larger than they were grown in and place them in the garden where 

 they will get the full benefit of the sun and be sheltered from the north, if possible. 

 A temporary trellis may be set up for training the young growth to. All this 

 can be done at small expense, and there will be a fine lot of trees to plant in 

 the house in the Fall — better than could be secured from the nurseryman, 

 for the Peach will make considerable growth in one season here, with good care. 

 Trees so treated should yield eighteen Peaches apiece the first season after 

 planting. I have known of Peach trees half grown, which were carefully lifted 

 and transplanted inside, with immediate results. But I am not in favor of such 

 a procedure, for it does not take any great length of time to produce a tree capable 

 of carrying a crop of 1 50 or 200 fruit, provided it has room to develop. Plant 

 only as many trees as are to grow permanently in the house, for if more are 

 planted with a view to removing the superfluous ones before overcrowding the 

 others, they are frequently left until too late, and the ensuing disfigurement of 

 the remaining trees is not easily remedied. 



