THE PEACH AND NECTARINE. 



177 



seen that some of the fruits are larger than others. 

 The smallest, of course, should be dispensed with. 

 In removing the superfluous fruits care should be 

 taken not to tear the bark off the shoots, as is 

 likely to be the case if the fruit is pulled back- 

 wards towards the base of the shoot. The fruit 

 should be a little twisted and pressed in the 

 opposite direction, or it may be cut or clipped 

 off. For medium-sized Peaches and Nectarines 

 one fruit per square foot of trellis is quite 

 enough, in order to secure perfection in size 

 and quality. Small kinds, such as Alexander 

 Peach and Elruge Nectarine, may be left 9 

 inches apart each way; large varieties, such as 

 Sea Eagle and The Nectarine Peach, should be 

 twice that distance apart. 



Other Cultural Matters. — With regard to the 

 routine culture during the summer, besides the 

 operations of pruning and training, one of the 

 most essential points to be attended to is the 

 condition of the roots in respect to moisture. 

 In one week the roots may have just enough 

 moisture, and if the weather is hot the tree will 

 make shoots and foliage with great rapidity; in 

 the second week rain may not fall in sufficient 

 quantity to get down to the roots, which have 

 then to meet an increased demand from a dimin- 

 ished supply; and in the third week the tree 

 exhibits symptoms of disease. The leaves droop 

 and lose their healthy green hue; and although 

 this appearance may have the effect of causing 

 the watering tubs to be employed, yet when full- 

 grown leaves have once been allowed to droop 

 and assume a yellowish sickly tinge, they can- 

 not again be brought to their former healthy 

 condition, whilst the attacks of insects, in- 

 duced by dryness, must also be taken into 

 account. 



It is much easier to keep a tree healthy than 

 to restore it after it has been allowed to become 

 sickly. Let the border therefore be frequently 

 inspected to the depth of the roots. Whenever 

 water is applied, give enough to thoroughly 

 soak the soil to the full depth of the roots. If 

 the crop is heavy and the fruit has stoned give 

 weak liquid manure from the cow-yard, or give 

 a moderate dressing first of Thomson's Vine 

 Manure, forking it under the surface and put- 

 ting some short litter over before watering with 

 clear water If necessary, let the soil be forked 

 over in ridges, and let the hollows be filled and 

 refilled with water till the border is thoroughly 

 moistened to the bottom. When the top soil 

 has dried, so as to be in working condition, it 

 should be levelled, and if a good mulching of 

 stable litter can be given, it will keep the 

 vol. ii. 



ground longer moist, and also assist the swell- 

 ing of the fruit. 



When the trees are kept in a proper condition 

 as regards moisture at the root, less syringing 

 will be necessary; nevertheless it is very bene- 

 ficial. It is a good plan to syringe not only the 

 trees, but the whole wall, with Gishurst Com- 

 pound, 2 ozs. to the gallon of water; or a mix- 

 ture of soft soap 12 ozs., tobacco juice \ pint, 

 water 3 gallons, before the buds expand in the 

 spring. If the weather is cold this should be 

 done early in the day, so that the trees may 

 get dry and escape getting frozen at night. 

 Syringing should be discontinued after this 

 until the blossoms fall, but after the fruit is set 

 it should again be daily resorted to at about 

 4 p.m., using clear water. 



By taking care that the soil about the roots is 

 never allowed to become too dry, and by syring- 

 ing the foliage, the ravages of red spider will 

 be prevented; by first syringing them, and then 

 dusting with snuff or powdered tobacco leaves, 

 the green-fly will be annihilated. Attention to 

 these matters will ensure healthy foliage, and 

 consequently healthy shoots; and if these are 

 properly managed, according to the directions 

 given for pruning and training, well - grown 

 trees and abundant crops will be obtained where 

 the climate is at all favourable. 



When the fruit approaches maturity, it should 

 be exposed to the direct rays of the sun, by putting 

 aside any leaves that shade it. By so doing the 

 fruit becomes sooner and better ripened. In 

 cold seasons and rather unfavourable situations 

 this should be more especially attended to. If 

 the foliage cannot be removed entire without 

 weakening the tree, take away half of each leaf 

 which obstructs the light. In the case of suc- 

 cession shoots, whole leaves should never be 

 removed, as it destroys the buds at their base. 

 When the fruit has almost reached its full size, 

 a pad of cotton-wool should be used if it is 

 likely to bruise against the branches. 



Gathering the Fruit. — Instruments of a funnel 

 shape, lined with velvet or other soft substance, 

 have been recommended for gathering Peaches 

 without handling them; but nothing is better 

 than the hand, for with it the fruit can be 

 grasped and pulled without touching the crown 

 or part next the sun. The Peach should be 

 taken in the hollow of the hand, and the softest 

 parts of the thumb and all the fingers applied as 

 much as possible behind the fruit. If the latter 

 is perfectly ripe it will easily part from the tree : 

 so easily, indeed, that when the whole pressure 

 is divided among the parts brought in contact 



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