On budding; Peaches on Almonds. 385 



8 



for the failure. In 1818 many of the sorts flowered and pro- 

 duced larger fruit than the same kinds on plum stocks ; the 

 shoots were strong, and all promised well for a great crop the 

 following year. About the end of September, however, five 

 of the best trees began to decay, and by the middle of October 

 they dried up, keeping their leaves on. The remaining trees 

 had now become fans of three feet radiation, with fine shoots. 

 These ceased to elongate about the end of August, and after- 

 wards they swelled the wood and flower buds. It should be 

 observed, that the almond, left to itself, usually continues 

 growing, even till checked by the frost of December. 



In 1819 we lost three fine trees, as in 1818; in 1820 we 

 lost but one tree; in 1821 we lost two trees; in 1822 we lost 

 one; and in 1823 we thought the like misfortune was at an 

 end, as the remaining twenty-one trees shed their leaves and 

 flowered well in the spring of 1824, and all of them produced 

 fruit less or more. Our reviving hopes were blasted, however, 

 in October following, for then two fine large trees dried up 

 with all their leaves on. In 1825 there was a great show of 

 large flowers and plenty of fruit, but two of the remaining 

 nineteen went off as on former years. 



A bud of the Moorpark apricot was inserted on one of these 

 stocks in 1816, and produced fruit in 1820. It now covers 

 about four yards of wall, and its fruit is larger, smoother, and 

 better flavoured than when worked on the plum ; but we are 

 afraid it will be of short duration, for two years after budding, 

 the almond stock, being about two feet high, became as rugged 

 as an aged apricot tree, and lately we have discovered that 

 one side of it is quite rotten. The stocks of the peaches and 

 nectarines, the white nectarine excepted, which is become very 

 rough, are as smooth barked as those which are not worked. 



From the above are we to conclude that peaches will not 

 thrive many years on almond stocks ? or are we to wait ten 

 years longer, to know how many of these remaining thirteen 

 trees are in a thriving state at twenty years' growth ? In the 

 meantime, you may, perhaps, hear the result of other experi- 

 ments on the same subject. 



The trees alive are denoted by the numbers following the 

 names in the list. There are twelve of the almonds which 

 have never been worked at all ; these have been all along, and 

 still are, in perfect health and vigour. 



I am, dear Sir, yours, &c. 



Wm. Anderson. 

 Chelsea Garden, March 11. 1826. 



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