144 



JOtlBNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AKD COTTAGE GAUDENEE, 



[ 7el)raary 21, 1866. 



summers, than to bury the plant to obviato burning and to 

 save watering. The tap roots may produce wood, often- 

 times too strong ; but radial roots produce and bring to per- 

 fection fniits and flowers. 



Let Peai-s on the quince stock be propagated low, for they 

 must be oiu-thed-up to the point of union. Remember the 

 following maxims : — " Xature never was a sexton or a brick- 

 layer." " Nature loves sun and water in the same ratio." 

 ■' What you take out of the ground you must replace, unless 

 the ground is redundantly stored." "Tt is better to follow 

 and assist Nature, than to thwart and retard her." — W. P. 

 Kadclyffe, Tarnmt Rusliton, BlandfonT. 



THE MODEEN PEACH-PEUNEE. 



No. 4. 

 SOILS AND MANURES. 



The particular- kinds of soil which are adapted for Peach- 

 culture must now be considered. A more important con- 

 sideration cannot well occupy the attention of the growers 

 of all stone fruit. The subject is a large and difficult one, 

 and is far from well understood. It is not pretended, there- 

 fore, to give more than an outline of certain established 

 truths, which, it is hoped, will induce cultivators to examine 

 more carefully the nature of the sod composing their gar- 

 dens, so as in some measure to secure materials now known 

 to be indispensable in Peach-culture. 



There are three principal eartlis which enter, more or less 

 largely, into the composition of all soils ; these are clay, 

 silei, and lime. Soils are made by a complex combination 

 of materials obtained from these three primitive earths. 

 These materials vary considerably in their proportions, and 

 so all'ect the general nature of the soil, which, moreover, 

 depends very much on the quality of the subsoil. For 

 example : a chalky subsoil gives a whitish appearance to 

 the siU'i'ace soil ; when red sandstone constitutes the subsoil 

 the earth above it has a reddish hue ; on gravel it has a 

 yellow tinge, and on blue clay it appears greyish. 



Clay is a constituent of all good soils ; in fertile ones there 

 may be 15 per cent. ; but in those which ai'e barren 40 per 

 cent. Its absence makes a soil too dry, while too much of it 

 constitutes a soil retentive of moisture, and apt to harden 

 and crack with heat. T)ie rays of the sun cannot penetrate 

 stiff clays. The red clay soils are the hardest, and the black 

 clay the most plastic. The purest clay contains at least 

 60 per cent, of sand, and is always mixed with mineral and 

 other substances. Clay soils, properly treated, are among 

 the very best for stone fruit. The first consideration is to 

 drain them thoroughly of superabundant water, which 

 would otherwise result in soft, spongy wood, and moss on 

 the trees. The next thing is to incorporate with them all 

 such materials as v.Ul render them i)ermoablo liy the air. 

 This should be done to the depth of at least 2 feet, by 

 means of steel forks, using for this purpose such m.atcrials as 

 aand, coal ashes, gravel, lime fiom very old buildings (of 

 this a large proportion), broken pottery, pounded oyster- 

 shells, &c.; in fact, anything to keep the soil open. The 

 general border-drainage of such soils should be itself 12 or 

 more inches in depth, according to the quality of the clay. 

 Drainage withdraws the water I'rom the roots, and allows tlie 

 air and sun's heat to reach them and supply that warmth 

 which is absolutely required for carrying on tluur functions. 



.V main drain, at lc:ist4 feet deep, running under the walks, 

 and connected with this border at intervals, is requisite 

 unlesH in the coae of stony subsoils. It is hardly known 

 how much drainage, well carried out, increases the tempe- 

 rature ol the borders. Whatever tends to increase the 

 temperature of the soil in naturally cold and damp countries 

 in ol llie highest iriq,.irtance. Continental writers are not 

 so explicit on this point, but possibly tlie amount of eva- 

 poration lessens llie danger. Of late years this subject has 

 gained grounl even among them. 



Silei, ors. ml, is found more or lens in all soils. Sands 

 vary much in colour. Sand more unequally reduced forms 

 gravel; when Uinty, it in termed sllicious; with mica, mi- 

 caceous; when very fine, duat. Silica allows water to eva- 

 porate from it twice as fast na <'lialk, and three times »« 

 flint aa clay. Sandy Boils are early, and wrought easily, but 

 are incapable of great production. They are " liun'^'y 



soils," and in them manures soon disappear : these should, 

 therefore, be applied only for the crop of the current year. 

 SiliciouB soils vary in colour from white to rod, according to 

 tjie quantity of oxide of iron which they contain. They axe 

 friable and penetrable to a great extent by the aii-, but liable to 

 dry up. There are, however, exceptions to this general rule. 

 In some parts of the eastern counties of England there ale 

 large tracts of land composed of calcareous sand. These 

 soils are apt to become binding rather than dry on the sur- 

 face, and as such they are more fertile than loosely-consti- 

 tuted silicious soils. Usually loose sandy districts are very 

 I unfertile when planted with fruit trees, especially Peach trees. 

 Such sods should be mixed largely with stilT alluvial loam, and 

 have rich surface dressings and mulchings in times of drought. 

 Soils thus treated are much improved, but whilst the Peach 

 grows fairly in them the fruits, though of good flavour, are not 

 large. In order to supply cai-bonate of lime freely, powdered 

 lime rubbish and gravel mixed (so as to separate the par- 

 ticles), the whole spread over the surface, would graduallj- 

 find its way by the infiltration of water all through the soil. 

 Thus only could a silicious eai'th, rendered tu-m by clay with 

 lime added, be called a fair Peach soU. Pure silex is ex- 

 tremely barren. AVhen, however, it appears of a reddish 

 colour it indicates the presence of oxide of iron, which com- 

 bines readily with the o.\ygen of the atmosphere and retains 

 it. These ferruginous soils arc excellent. WhensUexisin too 

 great a quantity there is an abundance of blossom, but the 

 fruits are not so large as in other cases. The leaves of the 

 trees are also more liable to curl and the attacks of aphides. 



The third chief eai'th found in soils is lime. The value of 

 lime in the culture of the Peach, the Vine, and indeed of all 

 fruit trees, has not yet been fairly estimated. Lime appears 

 in soils in the form of carbonate of lime, or chalk. Without 

 the admixture of other substances essentially chalky soils 

 are very unfertile. A chalky subsoil is unfavourable to fruit 

 culture. Calcareous soils absorb moisture, and drj' up with 

 equal rapidity. Calcareous matter is, however, of the high- 

 est necessity in Peach-culture. Its absence is at once per- 

 ceived by the falling of the fruit at the period of stoning, 

 because carbonate of lime constitutes a considerable portion 

 of the stone. Sand and clay are the appropriate ingredients 

 to mix with chalky soUs, so as to render theni more firm, 

 yet permeable and fertile. Clay destroys the whiteness of 

 the chalk, which is unfavourable to the due absorption of 

 the sun's rays. An incident strongly corroborative of what 

 has been advanced respecting the value of lime, occurred 

 lately at Sawbridgeworth. The soil of that nursery is very 

 largely mixed up with comminuted chalk ; the water is 

 thereibre impregnated largely with carbonate of lime, and 

 its effects on Peach trees and Vines in pots have this year 

 been remarkable. The trees and Vines were copiously 

 watered, and a thick deposit of lime was found adhering 

 to the drainage. The roots were finely developed, while 

 vigorous and healthy growth was visible evei-y where. Other 

 experiments have fully established the value of lime. 



The border for Peach trees should always have a good 

 slope. Its width, for walls 10 feet high, should bo about 

 5 feet, provided this space is never encroached on. A 

 rich calcareous lo.am, of an unctuous texture, soft to the 

 touch, made pervious to air and heat, is a favourable soil 

 (or the Peach. Manures should bo gradu.ally forked in, but 

 the roots should be so near the surfoce that forking 3 inches 

 deep would bo dangerous. These Peach-borders should not 

 bo further disturbed save for weeding. Although thus near 

 the surface, roots can be readily protected from the eifeots ol 

 ev.-iporation during the sununer by mulchings of litter, and, 

 in tbo same way, from excessive cold. 



f!alcareous matter (old lime rubbish, powdered oyster- 

 shells, and broken bones), should bo added to the extent of 

 one-sixth of the soil. Manuri's composed of well-rotted 

 vi'g<'table refuse, intermixed with stable-droppings, allowed 

 to stand ibr some tiino before uning, and well turned fort- 

 niglitly, with lime and soot intermixed, are excellent. Summer 

 mulching should not be applied till the earth has been well 

 warmed by the sun. Charred earth soaked in manure water 

 is highly stimulating, but should be carefully used. 



Although the list of manures is long, many Peach-growers 

 are of opinion that such as are of slow decomposition, oa old 

 woollen materials, are the best; at any rate, vegetable 

 manures are of much value, and arc too often neglected. 



