OF PEACHES. 49 



As soon as all the leaves are ofF, I would advise 

 to iinnail the young branches that were nailed in 

 during the Summer, leaving tlie strong ones to 

 keep the tree fast to the wall. By these means, 

 the branches, being loose from the wall, will re- 

 ceive the benefit of the sun and air, to ripen and 

 hai'den the young wood, which will not then be so 

 liable to be killed by a hard winter. Leaving the 

 trees so till the Spring, when you begin to prune 

 them, there will be great choice of fine bearing 

 wood to fill the walls. 



The nails and shreds that were laid up in 

 Autumn, when the branches were unnailed, should 

 be pointed and picked during the wet weather in 

 Winter : thev will then be fit to use a^ain. The 

 shreds that have been used in Summer should be 

 soaked in boiling-hot soap-suds for three or four 

 days, which will kill the eggs of ear-wigs and other 

 insects, so very destructive to Peaches. 



After the trees are cut and nailed, if the weat;,er 

 should be frosty, it will be necessary to cover them 

 when the flowers begin to open. Some cover the 

 trees with yew, and others branches of fir, laurel, 

 &c. but old netting is the best covering ; and it 

 should be put on three-fold, as directed for Apri- 

 cots. When the leaves begin to cover the fruit, 

 and the weather is likely to be fine and settled, the 

 netting should be taken off by degrees, but by no 

 means all at once. By the forked sticks, as before 

 observed, the nets may be kept at what distance 

 you please ; but never be in too great haste to un- 



£ 



