The double-fiowering Peach. 143 



After the first tree I had planted had grown so large that it was impos- 

 sible to remedy the evil, I, being determined to succeed, pruned and pinched 

 others which were young, severely, but to very little purpose. The trees 

 so treated looked a little better for a few years ; but, as the old wood in- 

 creased in size, the trees ceased to present a pleasing aspect. 



Peach-trees trained on treUises, either in palmetto or any other artificial 

 form, never are bare and unsightly. Remembering this fact, I concluded to 

 apply the method of pmning them to the double-flowering peach, though 

 modified by the object in view, yet adhering to the principle, not to suffer 

 the formation and increase of old wood after the framework of the tree has 

 beefi established. 



1 o restore order, and give shape again to my trees, / headed them very 

 severely back after they had ceased to blossom in the spring. I did not hesi- 

 tate to cut oft" branches an inch and an inch and a half thick, in order to 

 form the future head of the tree, at which I aimed. Had I done it in the 

 winter, it would have been better ; but I was unwilling to lose the blossoms 

 for a year, even at the risk of killing, or at least injuring, the trees, the 

 appearance of which I did not like any more. 



Contrary to my expectation, the stumps of the limbs cut off produced 

 a large number of very vigorous shoots, which were not pinched during the 

 summer, and which gave in the spring following a profusion of beautiful 

 blossoms. As soon as they had faded, or fallen off, / pru7ied each shoot 

 back to three buds from the base, where always some wood-buds are found. 

 In this way the trees retain their shape, and the number of young shoots is 

 doubled every year. Should the heads of the trees grow too dense, they 

 must be thinned out. 



The health of the trees has not suffered in the least by this treatment. 

 When they are in bloom, they are exceedingly beautiful and showy. 



The varieties in my possession are the following : — 



Amygdalus Persica fl. pi. Amygdalus Persica versicolor fl. pi. 

 ,, ,, rosea fl. pi. ,, „ alba fl. pi. 



„ ,, diantbiflora fl. pi. „ communis fl. pi. 



,, „ camelliaeflora fl. pi. 



The versicolor is especially remarkable : it bears snowy-white and dark- 

 red flowers, of all shades of color intermediate between dark-red and white. 



