PLANTING. 219 



peaches is by a due admixture of the soil found on the spot with as much 

 maiden loam as can be had. A half-and-half of this kind generally 

 snoeeeds well, or even a third of new loam to two-thirds of common 

 garden soil. 



One thing must be carefully guarded against. No soil should be used 

 that has* grown peaches, or indeed any sort of stone fruit, or any other 

 fruit trees before. In the replanting of peaches in old gardens, the entire 

 soil of the borders should be removed bodily. This involves considerable 

 labour, but it is labour that pays well. The expression peaoh, plum, or 

 pear sick soil is full of serious practical import. The theory cf such a 

 phrase may be difficult to explain, the fact of such sickness is patent 

 to all cultivators. It is probable that such sicknesses of the soil as 

 disqualify it for the continued production of any given crop in succes- 

 sion arises from the fact that the continuous demand made on the 

 soU for materials essential to the well being of certain species of 

 plants, exhausts it of those qualities. Hence, soil sickness is simply the 

 exhaustion of certain powers and qualities essential to the growth of 

 certain crops. There is, therefore, no reason why land unable to grow 

 peaches should not be able to produce fine peas or other vegetables, and 

 few processes can be more simple and more easy than the transference of 

 part or whole of the old peach borders into the vegetable quarters, 

 and the removal of the latter into the border. These exchanges 

 would prove profitable to both. The peach sick soil would grow the 

 sweetest peas ; the pea or potaito soU, quickened, sweetened, its richness, 

 somewhat moderated by a liberal infusion of maiden loam, would often 

 grow the finest peaches. The whole mass of the quarters would thus 

 prove fresh or maiden earth to the trees. 



As to the quantity of soil needful to grow peaches to perfection, the 

 first point is one of the proper depth, that may range from ISin. to 36in. 

 The first is essential to success, the second should not be exceeded in our 

 climate, unless on bottoms especially dry, and in the warmest and most 

 favourable localities. In the latter, the question of depth is of little 

 moment. The quality of the climate and of the' soil neutralises or pre- 

 vents all grossness, and dangerously late growths, which are among the 

 worst evils of deep borders in less favourable situations ; in these, how- 

 ever, a fleet border on a dry bottom is indispensable to success, as these 

 conditions are highly favourable to medium sized groVth and perfect 

 maturity. From 18in. to 2ft. of soil may, however, be considered as 

 indispensable to protect the trees from extremes of drought and rapid 

 exhaustion, which are two of the most productive causes of insect pests 

 and diseases among peach trees ; 30in. is a good depth of border, and is 

 probably that most generally adopted. 



