THE PEACH. 593 



of the peach tree penetrate farther, and are, mostly, out of the 

 reach of serious injry by the plough. Instead of losing by 

 being opened and exposed to the air, the heavier soil gains 

 greatly in value by the very act of rendering it more friable, 

 while at the same time it has naturally sufficient heart to bear 

 judicious cropping with advantage, father than injury, to the 

 trees. The growth and luxuriance of an orchard in strong land, 

 kept under tillage, is surprisingly greater than the same allowed 

 to remain in sod. The difference in treatment, therefore, should 

 always adapt itself to the nature of the soil. In ordinary cases, 

 the duration of peach orchards in the light sandy soil is rarely 

 more than three years in a bearing state. In a stronger soil, 

 with proper attention to the shortening system of pruning, it 

 may be prolonged to twenty or more years. 



PRUNING. It has always been the prevailing doctrine in this 

 country that the peach requires no pruning. It has been allow- 

 ed to grow, to bear heavy crops, and to die, pretty much in its 

 own way. This is very well for a tree in its native climate, 

 and in a wild state ; but it must be remembered that the peach 

 comes from a warmer country than ours, and that our peaches 

 of the present day are artificial varieties. They owe their origin 

 to artificial means, and require therefore a system of culture to 

 correspond. 



In short, we view this absence of all due care in the manage- 

 ment of the peach tree, after it comes into bearing, as the prin- 

 cipal original cause of its present short duration, and th^e 

 disease which preys upon it in many of the older parts of the 

 country. We therefore earnestly desire the attention of peach 

 growers to our brief hints upon a regular system of pruning this 

 valuable tree. Of course we speak now of common standard 

 trees, in the orchard or garden. 



A peach tree, left to itself after being planted, usually comes 

 into bearing the third or fourth year, and has a well-shaped, 

 rounded head, full of small bearing branches, and well garnish- 

 ed with leaves. It must be borne in mind that the fruit is only 

 borne on the young shoots 

 of the previous summer's 

 growth. In a young tree 

 these are properly distributed 

 throughout. But in a cou- 

 ple of seasons, the tree be- 

 ing left to itself, the growth 

 being mostly produced at the 

 ends of the principal branch- 

 es, the young shoots in the 

 interior of the head of the 

 tree die out. The conse- A peach tree without pruning, as am- 

 quence is, that in a short monly seen. 



