114 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



PEACH GROWING IN NOVA SCOTIA. 



Sir, — Some of your readers may be surprised at the statement that peaches 

 can be successfully grown in the open air in Nova Scotia. But such is the fact. 

 About five years ago I ordered six peach trees — all different varieties — ^from a 

 nursery-man in Western New York, as a mere experiment. Only four of them 

 survived the first winter and they have made excellent growth, except one, which 

 is affected by blistered or curled leaf. The first three have all borne fruit. 

 The fruit on two of them the last season surprised, not only my neighbors, some 

 of whom had never seen peaches growing and could not name the fruit, but 

 others who had visited peach growing sections in the U. S., and who declared 

 they never saw their superior. I have eleven very promising younger trees ; and 

 some of my neighbors, profiting by the experiment, are ordering peach trees for 

 this spring's setting. I would just add that, although we are situated about on 

 the 45th parallel, the mercury seldom falls below 0°, and very rarely 

 10° below zero, and I suppose it is the mildness of our winters that so favors 

 the production of this fruit. 



North Kingston, N. S. John Killam. 



MANURING BEARING ORCHARDS. 



On my orchard of bearing trees I haul out as many as forty wagon loads 

 of manure to the acre every year and spread it over the ground. I mulch my 

 trees thoroughly. I think it is an impossibility for a tree to bear fruit and live 

 any length of time, making a thrifty growth unless the ground is properly man- 

 ured. If it requires all the vitality there is in a tree to ripen and mature its 

 fruit without making growth it will not last long. I have observed that from experi- 

 ence. If we can keep the ground rich enough to make a tree have considerable 

 growth, besides maturing its fruit, then there is a proper prospect of its living a 

 number of years. 



I have trees in my orchard that have now stood there 28 years, and to-day 

 they are just as healthy as they were 20 years ago ; at least I sold more than 

 four tons of apples from an orchard of Duchess of Oldenburg, seven by nine 

 rods in size, this season. The trees bear every year ; but this result is only 

 accomplished by means of heavy manuring and mulching. I have other trees 

 likewise that I treat in the same manner. I find as they grow older that they 

 require more mulching. The vitality in a tree must be kept up. It appears to 

 me there is a similiarity in animal and vegetable life. We must feed a tree, 

 because it is very exhausting for it to produce its fruit each and every year. The 

 results with me from mulching have been very satisfactory. It keeps the ground 

 in good condition and does not let the grass grow. However, manuring may 

 be overdone with young trees, but when a tree com^s into bearing it needs much 

 food. — Minnesota Horticultural Report. 



