222 Cultivation of the Peach Tree. 



small piece of matting, that they may have room to swell, and 

 be kept from crowding each other. This is not only a means of 

 preserving the bunches from damp, but also of having better- 

 swelled and finer-flavoured berries. It is a common practice 

 with those who have fruit in their vineries, when the season is far 

 advanced, to keep up the temperature of the house, throughout 

 the night, with artificial heat, and to let their fires go nearly out 

 when the morning dawns. [See p. 18.] I do not, however, 

 approve altogether of this plan. Let any person go into a vinery 

 in the morning, before it is aired, and when the sun is shining 

 upon it, he will feel the atmosphere moist ; and, on examining 

 the fruit, will perceive that it is covered with dew. Now, if this 

 moisture be allowed to remain for any length of time, it certainly 

 must prove injurious ; and to remedy the evil seems to be an 

 object worth attention. 



A very small degree of artificial heat will be found sufficient 

 throughout the night; but, as soon as the sun arises in the 

 morning, and shines upon the house, by increasing the temper- 

 ature, and giving a sufficient quantity of air, the moisture will 

 be expelled, and the atmosphere of the house will become dry. 

 It may not be unnecessary to remark, that the fruit should be 

 often examined ; and, if there are any of the berries on which the 

 damp has taken effect, they should be carefully picked off; as, 

 if they are suffered to remain, the damp will soon spread over 

 the whole bunch. 



Mid-Lothian, Sept. 18. 1833. A Young Gardener. 



Art. XI. Notes on the Cultivation of the Peach Tree. 

 By Mr. James Hart. 



The garden of Sir F. N. Burton, of Burcraggy, county of 

 Clare, lies on a limestone rock, varying from 2 ft. to within a 

 few inches of the surface : the soil is a pure black loam, probably 

 of the same chemical qualities as the yellow; it has the same 

 unctuous feel. The peach trees growing some years ago in this 

 soil and garden could not be surpassed for health, and they bore 

 the most abundant crops of the finest fruit that could be possibly 

 produced. I dare say the crop of 1813 is still remembered in 

 some parts of the county of Clare. Neither mildew nor fly was 

 to be seen on these trees, nor any disease whatever. I had them 

 covered one spring with bast mats ; but the last spring that I 

 was there they were not covered at all, yet neither did the trees 

 suffer in the smallest degree from the severity of the weather, 

 nor did the crop of fruit which followed show that any injury 

 had been sustained. One might fancy that these trees enjoyed 

 the privilege of growing among the rocks ; they had the appear- 



