OF PEACHES. 51 



In very dry seasons, it will be necessary to 

 make a large basin round each tree, or, rather, 

 make up an edge around the whole border witli 

 mould, as you would for a bed to bed out plants 

 in a nursery ; then give the trees a good watering, 

 and mulch the border (which should be from two 

 feet and a half to three feet broad) with some 

 very rotten dung or leaves, which will keep the 

 roots of the trees moist, and prevent the ground 

 from cracking. Water the trees once a week 

 during dry weather, and sprinkle the branches 

 and leaves every other day, in the afternoon, 

 with the engine, pressing your fore-finger over 

 the mouth of the pipe, in order to spread the 

 water very fine. By these means you will keep 

 the trees clean and free from insects ; always re- 

 membering not to sprinkle them when the sun is 

 on them, nor too late in the evening, as the 

 former scorches the leaves, and the latter is apt to 

 bring the mildew on the tender sorts of Peaches. 

 If you find any of the trees infected, leave off 

 sprinkling them, or water them with clear lime- 

 water, as hereafter directed ; but this should 

 always be done in warm weather. By frequently 

 sprinkling the trees with lime-water, and throwing 

 it plentifully on the underside of the leaves, 

 where the Acarus, or red spider, is mostly 

 found, you will in a short time extirpate that 

 destructive insect. 



The next thing to be done is, to look over 

 the trees, and take all the late side-shoots, which 



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