lOO 



THE FRUIT GARDEN 



leaving only one midway between the top and bottom shoots ; if several are 

 left they crowd the tree with useless growth. Among the wood-buds will be 

 found a few flower-buds ; an effort should be made to fertilise the flowers 

 when they are open, by distributing the pollen when dry with a camel-hair 

 brush or a rabbit's tail. The young tree may be allowed to bear a few fruits 

 the first year after planting, for the reason that this prevents coarse growth. 



General Treatment. — When the tree-roots are active, and have ex- 

 tended beyond the limited space advised to be ridged in for watering, they 

 will soon take hold of the whole border, which should have a good soaking 

 of water. Throughout the year the space inside the ridge should receive two 

 waterings to every one given to the other part of the border, as in the first 

 season, most of the roots will be there. I do not advise the use of manure water 

 at all the first year. Speaking of watering, I may mention here what an im- 

 portant part this plays throughout the year in the successful cultivation of all 

 fruits, whether under glass or out-of-doors, and especially so during the summer 

 and autumn months ; and this remark, I think, is peculiarly applicable to the 

 peach. Let a peach tree bearing a good crop of fruit once become thoroughly 

 dry at the root, and all prospects of success for the season are over. Therefore 

 let me urge my readers never to let the soil about the roots of their peach trees 

 become at all dry, and especially within 3 or 4 feet of the stem, where most 

 of the fibrous roots are. It must not be supposed, however, that I recommend 

 the border to be always wet. As some guide to the inexperienced, I may say 



that all healthy peach trees, growing 

 freely and bearing good crops of fruit,, 

 will need watering for a distance of 3 

 or 4 feet round the stem at least once 

 a week ; once in ten days or a fortnight 

 will be often enough to water the whole 

 border. When the trees are growing 

 freely they must be syringed morning and 

 afternoon, closing the house in the after- 

 noon while the sun retains sufficient 

 power to make the temperature rise to 



Often desirable when blossom buds are very 75 Or 80 degS. for a short time. All 



and S iet°of frui° '^™'^ ^ "™"^^'' """"^ ^^^^^^^ ^^oots must be Stopped when they 



have formed four or five leaves, and the 

 young branches encouraged to make good progress, for upon them will depend 

 next year's crop of fruit. When growth is finished and the fruits (if any) are 

 gathered, the trees must have plenty of air night and day. Syringe occasionally,, 

 and as light and sun heat decrease give water less frequently. 



Second Year's Treatment. — Instead of the five or six branches possessed 

 by the young peach tree when planted, it should have, twelve months after 

 planting, fifteen or eighteen, and if these are of moderate size and well 

 ripened, no pruning will be necessary, simply wash with Gishurst compound 

 before tying them to the trellis. If the summer treatment of the trees as regards, 

 disbudding and stopping the laterals was carefully attended to as directed,. 



Fruiting Shoot with Buds Removed from 

 Underneath 



