502 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



For Pruning the Peach and Nectarine, vide 

 general article Pruning, also Pruning and 

 training the peach on the open walls, p. 488. 



Previous to tying the wood to the trellis, the 

 branches should be carefully gone over, the 

 oldest wood and main stem painted with vege- 

 table spirits of tar ; while the younger wood and 

 smaller branches should be carefully laid over 

 with a thin paste composed of 2 ounces of soft 

 soap, 3 handfuls of flour of sulphur, and double 

 the quantity of hot lime, mixed together in 

 about a gallon of soft rain-water. Care must 

 be taken, in laying on this latter dressing, that 

 the brush be always drawn upwards, and never 

 downwards, for fear of displacing the buds. 

 For some time after this is applied, avoid water- 

 ing with the syringe or engine, and keep up the 

 necessary humidity by throwing a little water 

 on the floor -pipes or flues twice a- day. At 

 this period of peach - forcing much benefit 

 would be derived by the trees, were a quantity 

 of rank stable-dung placed in a ridge-like form 

 along the centre of the house, and this frequently 

 turned over. The vapour arising from the mass, 

 accompanied as it always is, more or less accord- 

 ing to the richness of the dung, by ammoniacal 

 gases, will be very beneficial to the trees, and 

 tend to the suppression of insects. This can- 

 not at all times, however, be done, on account 

 of the litteriness of its appearance ; and some- 

 times it is objected to on account of the labour 

 attending bringing it in and taking it out again. 

 Urine from the cow-house or stable, placed in 

 evaporating pans on the top of the flues or hot- 

 water pipes, is a good substitute, and attended 

 with less trouble and disagreeable appearance. 

 Either of these methods may be had recourse 

 to until the flower-buds begin to show the colour 

 of their petals, after which this operation 

 must cease, as well as syringing over the trees. 

 The temperature at first must only amount to 

 that obtained by shutting up the house, and 

 may range during the day at from 45° to 55°, 

 decreasing to from 40° to 45° during the night. 

 This very first step is a critical one in peach- 

 forcing at this season of the year, when the tem- 

 perature is so varied, more especially in Scot- 

 land. Some days no artificial heat will be 

 needed, while there may be others when a 

 slight degree of heat will require to be thrown 

 into the pipes or flues. This is a point depend- 

 ing entirely on circumstances, and nothing but 

 strict vigilance can regulate it. The middle of 

 January is a very proper time to commence 

 peach-forcing, if the object be to have the fruit 

 ripe by the beginning of June; and this is quite 

 as early as the climate of this country warrants 

 us in attempting it, if the flavour of the fruit is 

 to be considered more than a week or two's 

 time in its production. Some begin to force 

 much earlier, even towards the middle of 

 November, and throughout December ; and 

 although success often attends this early excite- 

 ment, neither the size nor flavour of the fruit is 

 to be compared to that which ripens at the 

 period we have stated. To insure anything like 

 success in this early forcing— that is, having the 

 fruit ripe in March or April — it were better to 

 adopt pot-culture, by which means the roots of 



the trees could be stimulated by being plunged 

 in fermenting matter, or placed over a tank, on 

 the top of flues, or otherwise, where the roots 

 would derive that amount of heat that would 

 stimulate them into activity even before the sap 

 rose in the tree. Vaulted borders capable of 

 being warmed would be valuable in such cases 

 of early peach-forcing. Those who wish to have 

 their fruit ripe at a later period of the season, have 

 much fewer difficulties to contend with, and con- 

 sequently their cares are fewer, and their chances 

 of success much greater. The general manage- 

 ment of the trees, however, in all these cases, is 

 governed by the same laws. Recurring again to 

 the state of the peach-house set agoing towards 

 the middle of January, and with which we com- 

 menced these remarks : About twelve or fifteen 

 days after shutting up, the blossoms will be 

 beginning to expand. At this period the humi- 

 dity of the house, hitherto caused by copious 

 steaming and slight syringing, should be lessen- 

 ed, and a slight increase of temperature afforded. 

 This increase of heat should not exceed 5° or 

 7°, for to hurry on the expansion of the blos- 

 som and setting of the fruit might endanger the 

 whole crop. The more slowly the buds swell, 

 and go through the stage of forming the parts 

 of fructification, and the important offices de- 

 pending upon it, so much the more certain 

 will the success be. When the flowers are 

 fully expanded, and the pollen fit for disper- 

 sion, a more abundant ventilation will be ne- 

 cessary ; and this must not be withheld, even 

 though it becomes necessary to throw a little 

 additional heat in every morning, and continue 

 it through the early part of the day, to make up 

 for the extra supply of air admitted. At this 

 time the greatest care must be taken that ven- 

 tilation be properly administered, and that no 

 draughts of cold frosty air be allowed to blow 

 in directly upon the trees. Where none of the 

 various modes of ventilation we have given (vide 

 vol. i., article Ventilation) are employed, it will 

 be well to place at this early period thin can- 

 vass or gauze netting screens over the air-open- 

 ings, that the cold air may be sifted through 

 them, and its full force broken ere it reach the 

 trees. The peach-forcer will at this time see, 

 and we hope be convinced, of the great import- 

 ance of bringing in the air towards the bottom 

 of the house, as well as of admitting it under the 

 flues or hot-water pipes, so that the "raw chill" 

 may be taken off it before it comes in contact 

 with the blossom. The temperature now should 

 range from 55° to 60° through the day, but ac- 

 companied with a free circulation of air. 5° of 

 sun-heat may be allowed in addition to the above, 

 but the night temperature should not exceed 

 45°, which should ever be accompanied with an 

 increase of moisture as the fruit is setting. 

 During the flowering period no syringing can 

 possibly be permitted, but the necessary humi- 

 dity should be kept up by slight steaming and 

 frequently watering the surface of the floors, &c. 

 As soon as the flowers begin to decay, the young 

 fruit will be seen seated between the fragments 

 of the petals. At this time a peculiar condition 

 is traceable in the embryo fruit, and this con- 

 dition has been pointed out by one of the best 



