THE PEACH AND NECTARINE. 



189 



should be taken off early in spring, and kept 

 with their ends in moist sand till the grafting 

 season arrives, that is, as soon as the sap of 

 tree or stock begins to move. When worked, 

 the successful taking of the grafts is promoted 

 by earthing up to the top of the clay. 



Mr. Cameron practised, when at Highbeach, 

 Essex, the following mode of grafting. He 

 says: "Sow in autumn kernels of Peaches, 

 Nectarines, or Apricots, under the walls where 

 they are to remain. Each will make a vigorous 

 shoot the following spring, and this may either 

 be budded in August of the same year, or 

 grafted in March of the year following. Graft- 

 ing is the mode I prefer, and the scion should 

 have \ inch of two-year-old wood at its lower 

 extremity; at least, I have found scions so 

 taken off succeed better than those taken in- 

 differently from any part of the young wood. 

 Cut the stock with a dove-tail notch for the 

 scion to rest on, and tie it on in the usual 

 manner. Eemove the buds of the scion in 

 back and front, leaving two on each side and 

 a leader; when these have grown 6 or 8 inches, 

 pinch off their extremities with the finger and 

 thumb, by which means each shoot will throw 

 out two others, and thus produce in autumn 

 a fan-shaped tree with ten branches. I have 

 generally found them bear two or three fruit 

 the second year from the graft, and a pro- 

 portionally greater number the third year." 



Mildew is very destructive to Peaches on 

 open walls in some seasons, especially with 

 Royal George and some other tender varieties. 

 It is most likely to appear if the trees have 

 got into a weak state of health, through any 

 sudden check, or from the roots descending 

 into a cold subsoil. The best remedy is Gis- 

 hurst Compound, 2 ozs. to the gallon of water, 

 applied during a fine afternoon. This must 

 not be applied when the fruit is approaching 

 maturity or it will affect the flavour. This 

 disease is very troublesome when it once gains 

 a start, and needs persistent attention until it 

 is overcome. If Gishurst cannot be used, the 

 foliage should be slightly damped, and dry 

 flowers of sulphur applied with a sulphur dis- 

 tributor. Under glass its appearance is a sure 

 sign of wrong treatment; usually a low tempe- 

 rature, deficient ventilation, or both. The best 

 remedy here is to paint the pipes with sulphur, 

 mixed with water, and a little lime to make 

 it stick; keep the trees and house dry, and 

 after the house is closed for the day make the 

 pipes as hot as possible. This should be done 

 on two or three successive nights. 



Insects, &c. — See chapter on this subject. 

 Bark Enemies. — Peach Scale, Wceberian Tor- 

 trix. Fruit and Seed Enemies. — Ants, Birds, 

 Earwigs, Wasps. Leaf Enemies. — Almond Aphis, 

 Figure-of-8 Moth, Garden Chafer, Peach Aphis, 

 Red-legged Garden Weevil, Thrips, Red Spider. 

 Boot Enemies. — Cockchafer. 



The varieties of the Peach are difficult to 

 distinguish from the appearance of the fruit 

 alone. The following arrangement is founded 

 on the fruit having either melting flesh which 

 parts readily from the stone, or firm flesh cling- 

 ing to the stone; the leaves being serrated, 

 without glands, or having either globose or 

 reniform glands at their base; and the flowers 

 being either large or small. By these char- 

 acters nine sections are here formed. 



Class I. — Melting Peaches. 



Flesh parting from the stone. 

 Division 1. — Leaves serrate, glandless. 

 Subdivision 1.— Flowers large. | Subdivision 2.— Flowers small. 

 Dymond. 



Goshawk. 

 Noblesse. 

 Rivers' Early York. 



Malta. 



Royal George. 



Division 2. — Leaves serrate, with globose glands, 



Flowers small. 



Crawford's Early. 



Division 3. — Leaves crenate, with globose glands 

 Flowers large 



Subdivision 1 

 A'bec. 



Alexandra Noblesse. 

 Barrington. 

 Belle Bauce. 

 Early Grosse Mignonne 

 Hales' Early. 

 Princess of Wales. 

 Sea Eagle. 



Subdivision 2.— Flowers small. 

 Bellegarde. 

 Crimson Galande. 

 Late Admirable. 

 Stirling Castle. 

 Violette Hative. 

 Walburton Admirable. 



Division 4. — Leaves crenate, ivith reniform gland 



Subdivision 1.— Flowers large 

 Dr. Hogg. 



Early Beatrice. 



The Nectarine Peach. 



Subdivision 2 — Flowers small. 

 Dagmar. 

 Early Alfred. 

 Golden Eagle. 

 Prince of Wales. 

 Salwav. 



Class II. — Clingstone Peaches. 



Flesh firm, adhering to the stone. 



The divisions and subdivisions in this class are the same as in 

 the preceding one, but few of the varieties are worthy of 

 cultivation in this country. 



Division 3. — Leaves crenate, with globose glands. 



Flowers large. 



Alexander. 



Division 4. — Leaves crenate. with reniform glands. 

 Flowers small. 

 Early Louise. 



