560 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



When the trees are planted the holes may be made 

 large, and enriched with well-decayed manure, to give a 

 good growth of wood. For this purpose guano is an excel- 

 lent application; but it is fatal to the tree if it comes in 

 contact with the roots. I have applied it with success to 

 all kinds of fruit trees. After the holes are dug, a little 

 guano is sprinkled in them; this is then covered with 

 about two inches of good mould, on which the tree is 

 planted. When the tree is planted, another sprinkling of 

 guano may be added, and covered with a little more 

 earth; two or three tablespoonfuls are sufficient for a 

 tree, and but a small quantity is required for a large 

 orchard. For this purpose, as well as for manuring most 

 shrubs, rose bushes, etc., few applications are so cheap 

 and satisfactory. After the tree begins to fruit, applica- 

 tions of lime, ashes, or leaf mould are much better than 

 those which excite growth, as they do not impair the 

 flavor of the fruit or induce decay. 



The peach is best propagated by budding and grafting 

 upon seedling peach stocks. There are, however, many 

 varieties of the clings, particularly, that reproduce them- 

 selves from the seed, especially if the tree from which the 

 stone is taken stands apart from other varieties. It is 

 believed that the stone of a seedling is more apt to repro- 

 duce its kind than if taken from a budded tree. Seedlings 

 often escape frosts that are fatal to the finer varieties, but 

 the highest flavored varieties of seedlings are often quite 

 as susceptible of injury as those budded or grafted; those 

 varieties bearing large flowers are much less liable to be 

 injured by frost than those having small ones. 



Plum stocks are recommended by foreign writers; but 

 they are of little use in this climate, for the graft soon out- 

 grows the stock and breaks off. Peach stocks are raised 

 by planting the stones two or three" inches deep, in the 

 autumn or winter. If the stones are cracked thev are 



