430 Remarks on Mr. Newington' s Observations 



desires it, he will send an account of his mode of culture. 

 Such an account cannot but be acceptable to our readers, and 

 we shall be most happy to receive it. We shall also be glad 

 to know the total number of fruit ripened, and the length of 

 time that this single plant contributed to the dessert. — Cond. 

 Dec. SO. 1829. 



Art. XVIII. Remarks on Mr. Newingtoris Observations on the 

 Management of Peach Trees. By Mr. James Craig, Gardener 

 to G. Cholmely, Esq. Howsham, York. 



Sir, 



Presuming that the pages of the Gardener's Magazine 

 are open to fair discussion on any subject its previous pages 

 contain, I take leave to offer a few remarks on Mr. New- 

 ington's observations (p. 55.) on the management of peach 

 trees. Be assured, Sir, I am not turned critic for the sake 

 of cavilling, but with the view of preventing what I thin$ erro- 

 neous opinions from taking root and spreading their vexatious 

 branches. 



That gentlemen complain of, and that many gardeners feel 

 and confess, a deficiency in the management of peach trees, I 

 readily admit; and that the failure of the crops very often, 

 though not always, arises from the manner of pruning the 

 trees, I will not dispute ; but I must tell Mr. Newington 

 flatly that his text is entirely erroneous. He says, " It is the 

 endeavour of every cultivator to procure annually a great 

 supply of long and strong wood, sufficiently large to make 

 basket-rods." Had not Mr. Newington given his name to 

 this extraordinary assertion, I should have suspected that it 

 was invented as a pretext for abusing his brethren ; but, as 

 he has given his name, I can only say he is under a mistake. 

 In the circle of my acquaintance among gardeners (and it is 

 not very limited), I do not know one who endeavours to pro- 

 cure " basket-rods " on his peach trees ; and if they chance 

 to have any such, they do nor expect fruit from them. On 

 the contrary, they all know the sort of wood which is most 

 fruitful, although some of them maybe deficient in the "ways 

 and means " of procuring a regular supply of such wood ; and 

 Mr. Newington knows, or ought to know, that much depends 

 on soil and situation : but he condemns us all, at " one fell 

 swoop," and would send us to Malta or America. If he has 

 been at these places, I believe he could tell us that the peach 

 trees growing there are chiefly standards, and are not much 

 troubled with the handywork of Nature's journeymen. 



