808 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



Lime, potash, and the pliospliates, are the chief elements 

 the peach requires in the soil. Bone-dust and wood-ashes 

 are valuable applications, much more suitable than com- 

 mon animal manures. Thej may be dressed ^Yith compost 

 of woods earth (leaf-mould), or swamp-muck, if the soil is 

 very poor. 



When the trees are planted, the holes may be made 

 large, and enriched with well-decayed manure, to give a 

 good growth of wood. For this purpose, guano is an ex- 

 cellent application ; but it is fatal to the tree, if it touch 

 the roots. I have applied it, with success, to all kinds 

 of fruit trees. After the holes are dug, a little guano is 

 sprinkled in the hole ; this is covered at least two inches 

 deep with fresh loam, on which the tree is placed. If 

 the soil is very sandy, two inches might not be sufficient 

 to protect the roots. When the roots are entirely cov- 

 ered, another sprinkling may be given, which is covered 

 over with more earth. Tavo or three tablespoonfuls 

 are sufficient for a tree, and but a small quantity is re- 

 quired for a large orchard. For this purpose, as Avell as 

 manuring most shrubs, rose bushes, &c., few applications 

 are so cheap or so satisfactory. But guano must not touch 

 the roots, in its dry, caustic state. After the tree begins 

 to fruit, application of lime, ashes or leaf-mould are much 

 better than those Avhich excite rank growth, since they do 

 not impair the flavor of the fruit, or induce decay. 



The peach is best propagated by budding and grafting 

 upon seedling peach stocks. There are, however, many 

 varieties, of the clings particularly, that can be raised true 

 to their kind by planting the seed, especially if the tree 

 from which the stone is taken stands apart from other vari- 

 eties. It is believed that the stone of a seedling is more 

 apt to reproduce its kind than if taken from the fruit of 

 n budded or grafted tree. Seedlings often escape frosts 



