H0CK1NGS' GARDEN MANUAL. 



119 



water if requisite, and protect the trees from the sun 

 and wind until they begin to grow. 



Soils : The peach should have a rich, open soil, on a 

 dry, stony, or gravelly subsoil. It should, under any 

 circumstances, be deep and well drained • and if it is 

 not rich, the surface should be kept in good heart by 

 a dressing of cow dung every spring and autumn, with 

 the addition of bone dust, wood ashes, lime, and a 

 little salt. Lime is an important constituent in the 

 soil for peaches. 



Pruning, &c. : The peach should have all its leading 

 shoots stopped two or three times during the summer, 

 and the centre of the tree be kept open by rubbing off' 

 the shoots as they appear. In the winter remove 

 sickly or cross branches, and shorten back all the strong 

 shoots about half their length, and the weak ones two- 

 thirds. Keep the centre of the tree open. 



Peach trees in pots or tubs. 



Quite a new feature has been introduced into fruit 

 culture in England during the last few years, in con- 

 sequence of the extraordinary success attending some 

 experiments made with fruit trees in pots protected in 

 a green-house. The great points appear to be, an 

 abundant supply of manure, sufficient water, and form- 

 ing the tree into a very compact growth. Great vigor 

 is thus induced, which, not being allowed to expend 

 itself in wood shoots, and the buds being fully developed 

 and well ripened, fruit is formed in abundance and perfec- 

 tion. The object of introducing the subject here is 

 that by this means persons who can afford the luxury 

 may be enabled to produce the flat China peach on the 

 Downs, where the blossoms are now generally destroyed 

 by frost, and the delicious late peaches in tropical 

 Queensland where they are now frequently destroyed 

 by the worm. 



Mr. Thomas Rivers, the enthusiastic advocate of 

 orchard houses, in the course of his directions for the 



