HORTICULTURAL CBSERVATIONS FROM FRENCH AUTHORS, f;53 



red-shelled sort, and some prefer the bitter ; but it is more 

 difficult to succeed with these, than with the soft-shelled 

 almond. 



Stocks of the apricot, and of ihe prune de St. Juliers, produce Apricot and 

 smaller trees, that bear sooner, but do not last so long, and, of F*""" '^°''^'- 

 course, answer better in a shallow soil. 



The season of budding depends on the weather being more or Season of bud- 

 less wet J the end of July, in ordinary years, is proper for the '^'"S- 

 plum stock, that for the apricot and the almond stock is later : 

 and for the young almond stock, the middle of Septemler is the 

 most proper. 



In order to provide stocks, the fruit stonss are sown in bas- Raising stocks. 

 ketsj which, when the tree has attained a proper size, arc 

 sunk in the ground where it is intended they should grow, pro- 

 vided the soil is deep j for shallow soils the young plant is 

 taken up, and its larger roots cut off, which forces it to throw 

 out lateral roots, and in the event to become a more productive 

 bearer. 



The climate of France is certainly better suited to the culture The \tees in 

 of the peach, than that of England, as some sorts produce f'°^^°™®^°"'^ 

 their fruit there in perfection on espaliers, and a few on stand- froKost.^ 

 ards in the open air. The people of Montreuil are, however, 

 abundantly more careful, than we are, to protect their trees 

 from the action of frosts, during the time of flowering : at that 

 time a very slight degree of frost is apt to seize upon the pistil ; 

 and if the sun shine upon the flower before it is entirely thawed, 

 this organ loses its power of receiving the pollen, and the 

 flower, in consequence, drops off without setting its fruit. 



To guard against this, the tops of the peach walls are fur- Modes of - 

 nished with long wooden pegs, or with iron wall-hooks, on '^°'"S '^>'*' 

 which planks are fixed ; and on them straw mats are hung in 

 such a manner as to be rolled up or let down at pleasure. 



Those who do not use this precaution, light fires with damp 

 straw in such a manner, that the smoke may pass over the 

 flowering branches at sun-rise. This intercepts, in some de- 

 gree, the direct rays of the sun, and, by its gentle warmth, 

 thaws the frozen pistils by gradual and slow degrees ; others 

 fasten the branches cut from ever-green trees, with their leaves 

 upon thera, in front of the peach trees, to break off the cold 

 air. 



Peaches 



T' 



