PEACH AND THE PEAR. 6l 



ordinary. The chemist can do many things by rule, and 

 chemical laws are infallible, but he cannot use the 

 human stomach for a retort, any more than he can the 

 cell of a Peach tree, because in his own retort he can 

 apply chemical laws, and in the case of the human 

 stomach or of the tree-cell, he can only apply his laws, 

 subject to the retarding or advancing effects of vital 

 action — OF LIFE. 



The peach is always produced on the wood of the 

 previous year, and the development of this wood and the 

 general appearance of the trees are the best guides to 

 follow in fertilizing. Should the wood of the previous 

 year, if the season has been an ordinary one, not look 

 strong and healthy and not have made a general average 

 growth of, say, seven inches in length and the buds not 

 full and vigorous looking, these conditions would call for 

 fertilizing, and in that fertilizer should be incorporated 

 more or less ammonia. If the trees were vigorous and 

 doing well, then I would use fertilizers containing potash 

 and phosphoric acid, with the iron and chlorine, etc., 

 incidentally contained. Recollect that the peach is a 

 thorough-bred among fruit trees, needing close watching 

 and vigorous culture ; its food should be accurately 

 supplied, and it should neither be stinted nor, what is 

 equally important, must it be overfed. If the tree is 

 declining it needs full nourishment, and here we must 

 give it the proper elements. If it has borne a large crop 



