THE PEACH. 



465 



The destruction of the peach-crop is caused in very many 

 cases by the intense cold of winter. Vernal frosts often cause 

 serious damage, but perhaps less than commonly supposed. 

 If the fruit-buds remain unswollen, they will endure 

 very severe cold. But it often happens that we have a few 

 days of mild or warm weather during winter. This is suffi- 

 cient to swell them slightly, or to throw moisture enough into 

 them to render them tender ; and if the thermometer should 



FIG. 621. FIG. 622. FIG. 623. 

 Peach Buds (Magnified Twice). 



then sink several degrees below zero, there is scarcely a 

 chance for their escape. Their condition may be soon ascer- 

 tained by making a cross-cut with a knife through the fruit- 

 buds. If destroyed, the centre will be dark brown ; if unin- 

 jured, they will present the fresh greenish centre of sound buds. 

 The accompanying figures represent the branches and buds ot 

 the peach magnified twice in diameter. Fig. 622 shows the 

 two flower-buds, with the usual leaf-bud between, before they 

 have become swollen by warm weather. Fig. 621 represents 

 the appearance of the same after the occurrence of several 

 warm days after midwinter. Fig. 623 exhibits the dark and 

 dead interior of a flower-bud cut through its centre, after it 

 has been killed by the frost. Under ordinary circumstances, 

 the peach crop is destroyed when the thermometer sinks 

 about 12 below zero (Fahr.); but when the buds have been 

 much swollen, the crop has sometimes been cut off when only 

 5 or 6 below ; while in rare instances unswollen buds under 

 30 



