46 TREATISE ON 



Treatise on the Cultivation of Peach Trees, & that also is useful for all kinds of fruit 

 trees, will find even fewer supporters. Prepare the ground, adjust the distances between 

 the trees, and in November plant at each assigned spot three pits, of the kind of stocks 

 that only grow from seeds, nine or ten inches apart. (They can be germinated in sand & 

 put in the ground in the spring without cutting off the taproot). As for stocks grown from 

 cuttings, plant three cuttings in each assigned spot in the same season & at the same 

 distances apart. (Three pits or three cuttings are put in each place to make certain of 

 getting a good stock). Treat these stocks as we've explained in the article On Nurseries 

 and graft them when they've acquired the necessary strength. Pinch off the shoot from the 

 graft and train & space the lateral branches that develop from it in an orderly fashion. At 

 each spot leave only the best of the young trees & pull up or destroy the others without 

 disturbing the ones that remain, &c. I won't detail the advantages of this procedure - they 

 are set forth in the above work. They will be easy to detect following what we've just said 

 & what we still have to say. I'll simply add that I even know of nurserymen who don't 

 take any plants into their own nurseries to fill out their espaliers, but raise the trees right 

 there on the spot. But don't expect them to encourage the use of this method that in any 

 case isn't without its problems. 



In fact, the ground is much dryer in espaliers than it is in a nursery where shade 

 from the plantings keeps it cooler. Stocks in espaliers have almost no second run of sap, 

 if care hasn't been taken to water them to make up for lack rain during the season. 

 Furthermore, under the constant heat of the sun, the run of sap is very substantial while it 

 persists. But it stops suddenly, not subsiding gradually at all. As a result, there's barely a 

 moment, so to speak, 



