THE OECHARD-HOUSE. 



133 



dung, others apply rich loam and water with diluted 

 liquid ; but a very good material for this purpose 

 consists of equal parts of fresh horse-droppings and 

 rich tuxiy loam, to which may he added twenty per 

 cent, of bone-dust. These should be thoroughly 

 mixed in a dry shed some time before the dressing- 

 is required for use, and should be frequently turned 

 to prevent heating. Newly-potted trees do not re- 

 quire top-dressing the first season, but when they 

 begin to bear fruit a small quantity of this material 

 may be applied once a fortnight from the time the 

 fi'uit is thinned until within three weeks of the time 

 of ripening. When this stage is reached, dis- 

 continue all strong stimulants, and keej) the trees 

 regularly supplied Avith pm-e water. 



Mr. Douglas, a very successful cultivator of fruit- 

 trees in pots, recommends a dressing composed of 

 equal parts of loam, fresh horse-droppings, and malt 

 dust. This is a most powerful stimulant, but is 

 subject to violent fermentation, when its quality 

 deteriorates, and it throws off a disagreeable stench, 

 which rendel-s the house anything but pleasant. 



G-athering the Fruit. — Early morning, when 

 the fruit is cool and dry, is the best time to gather 

 Peaches and Nectarines ; and they should be under 

 rather than over-ripe, particularly if they have to be 

 kept for a few days before they are requii-ed for use. 

 An experienced person can judge by the ajDpearance 

 of the fruit when it is in a fit state for gathering ; 

 but the tyro may at first find it necessaiy to test it 

 by slight pressure near the stalk, when if it yields 

 to the touch it is in a fit state for removal. With 

 this exception Peaches should never be touched by 

 the fingers, as the slightest pressure forms a bruise, 

 which ferments and deteriorates the flavour. When 

 a tree of fruit approaches ripening, withhold water, 

 but do not allow the foliage to droop, or the least 

 forward fruit will ripen prematurely, and be deficient 

 in flavour. Assuming then that the first gathering- 

 is about to be made, take shallow, flat-bottomed 

 "baskets, pad them well with soft moss or wadding, 

 over which place a. sheet of silver paper ; then, with a 

 pad of wadding in the palm of the left hand, and 

 a pair of Grape scissors in the right, grasp the fruit 

 lightly, and detach it with the points of the scissors, 

 place each fruit on a square of silver paper, and lay 

 them close together in the basket. Eemove to a 

 cool, airy. Grape or fruit room, where they may 

 remain until wanted for use. 



Gathering for Market. — When Peaches are 

 intended for the fruiterer, and have to be packed for 

 transit by rail, many growers detach them as soon as 

 they are well-coloured and have attained their full 

 size, but before they begin to soften. Each Peach is 



then folded in a square of silver paper and packed in 

 shallow boxes some four and a half inches deep. 

 Soft, weli-beaten moss, where it can be obtained, 

 answers best, as it is elastic and cheaxD. For detailed 

 directions on this important part of the fruit-grower's 

 management, see the articles on Peaches under 

 Glass in future pages. Many people can grow good 

 fruit, but through lack of experience suffer in pocket 

 by allowing it to soften before they gather it and 

 send it away. The fruiterer does not care how hard 

 a Peach is when sent in, provided it is well-coloured ; 

 as he has ways and means of ripening it up without 

 bruise or blemish ; and it is for such consignments 

 that the highest prices are given to the producer. 



VARIETIES OF PEACHES AND NECTARINES, AND 

 HOW TO DISTINGUISH THEM. 



When it is borne in mind that thousands of Peaches 

 and Nectarines are propagated from trees which 

 nurserymen never see in bearing, it is not surjDrising 

 that fruit-growers find many of them incorrectly 

 named. Many of our finest varieties of Peaches so 

 closely resemble each other as to render it difficult for 

 the amateur to distinguish them when growing on 

 the trees, and the experienced often fall into mistakes 

 when they take upon themselves to name them after 

 they are gathered. And yet there are a few simple 

 rules, or simple forms of structure, by which any 

 observant man can soon learn to name many kinds — 

 certainly to say the tree sold him for such a variety 

 is not true to name, as the features do not agrea 

 with Dr. Hogg's description contained in his " Fruii; 

 Manual." All who grow fruits or flowers like to 

 know them by their names ; but Peaches and Necta- 

 rines are less known than any other fruit which 

 comes under the British fruit-grower's manage- 

 ment. 



In the first place, it must be explained that Peaches 

 and Nectarines are divided into two classes by their 

 blooms, which may be large, light-coloured and hand- 

 some, or small, dark and inconspicuous. The fruit may 

 be found rich and to separate freely from the stone, or 

 tough and to adhere closely to it. The first are called 

 Melting Peaches, the second are Clingstones. The 

 leaves, a most infallible guide in all the old varieties, 

 but not so much so in some of Rivers' seedlings, will 

 be found serrated on the edge and without glands, as 

 in Fig. 9 ; crenated, with globose glands, as in Fig. 

 10 ; or crenated, with reniforme glands, as in Fig. 11. 

 Now, assuming that the amateur has purchased and 

 potted, say twenty varieties of Peaches, and he 

 wishes to ascertain with as little delay as possible 

 whether they are true to name, the best thing he 

 can do will be to obtain a book and rule each page 

 into four columns. The first will be for the number, 



