THE FKUIT-GAEDEN. 



59 



peach. It is contagious, and spreads witli great rapidity, by the buds, 

 by contact of roots or by the knife used upon diseased trees. It shows 

 itself by the premature ripening of the fruit, which is of small size and 

 of poor flavor, by the leaves turning yellow and falling, ending in the 

 death of the tree. Where the disease has made much progress, the 

 tree should be cut and burned to prevent its extension, as the disease 

 cannot be cured when fully developed. Sickly trees may be revived by 

 the application to the roots of iron-filings or of copperas. Shortening 

 the branches, the application of un leached ashes and iron-filings are the 

 best preventives. 



The Peach-Worm or Borer. — This insect cuts into the bark but not into 

 the wood, just beneath the surface, causing the gum to exude, and by 

 which its depredations are easily discovered. It can be removed with 

 a knife without diCBculty. By piling in the spring about the body of 

 the tree a small quantity of ashes or air-slacked lime, to be removed in 

 the fall, has been found a good remedy. This insect need not be dreaded 

 by careful cultivators. It is easily destroyed if attention be given to it. 



Pruning. — Next to the grape, probably no fruit-bearing tree is more 

 benefited by judicious pruning than the peach ; yet in none, perhaps, 

 is it more neglected. 



The practice is, to plant the trees and let them grow in their own 

 way. The consequence is, that in a few 

 years it runs up to a long, ragged stem, 

 with two or three long, ragged limbs, hav- 

 ing some little weak boughs at the tops, 

 and the tree being top-heavy, is, nineteen 

 times in twenty, blown down ; and it pre- 

 sents, altogether, a figure by no means 

 handsome in itself or creditable to its 

 owner. That is not the true way. The 

 tree should, in the first place, be budded 

 very near to the ground ; after planting 

 cut it down very near to the ground, about 

 one foot six inches from it. Always cut 

 sloping and close to a bud. In this foot 

 and a half there will be various buds, and 

 they will, the first summer, send out many 



