478 



FORCING THE PEACH. 



for such purpose. At that age they will have gained such strength, and got 

 so well established in the soil, that they can be removed with large balls, 

 and with the greatest safety, into the places where they are to remain ; they 

 will scarcely feel their removal. I generally place a compost of three parts 

 loam, and one part rotten dung, immediately round the roots, in order to 

 encourage the plants to strike more freely into the border. 



1004. Forcing in the first season. — " In the first season, the commence- 

 ment of the forcing is in the second week in February, when the lights are 

 put on the house. I begin to add a little fire-heat in the last week in the 

 month, and gradually increase this as the spring advances. I obtain a 

 temperature of from 53° to 65° from fire ; and I do not allow the sun-heat 

 to exceed 7 5". The heat at night is kept sufficiently uniform by means of 

 a moderate fire, and in the day by the admission of air. 



1005. Watering and fumigating. — " The trees during the first summer 

 should have frequent bottom waterings, and be well syringed with clear 

 water two or three times a week ; this will greatly promote their growth 

 and keep them clear of insects. Should the green fly, or red spider, make 

 their appearance, two or three strong fumigations with tobacco, and frequent 

 syringing, will keep the trees clean. 



1006. Summer pnuning. — " If the trees appear to make luxuriant shoots 

 in any part, when bearing wood is wanted, the shoots should be stopped at 

 the third or fourth leaf ; and if they are still inclined to grow strong, they 

 must be stopped a second time : this will obtain kindly wood. Two or 

 three times in the spring the whole should be looked over, and the shoots 

 moderately thinned out, leaving those which are most kind and well placed 

 at regular distances for the next year's bearing. The first thinning of the 

 young shoots should be just after the fruit is set, and when they are eight 

 or ten inches long : when at that length, they must be laid in at such dis- 

 tances as to admit the sun and air to ripen the wood destined to bear in the 

 ensuing season. 



1007. Routine treatment during the first season. — " The principal business 

 of the first season is to keep the young wood regularly laid in, to attend to 

 the top and bottom waterings, and to the free admission of air at all oppor- 

 tunities. If all this has been done, and the plants have been kept clean, 

 they will in this season have made plenty of good bearing wood for the next 

 year, and they will have nearly covered half the extent of trellis within the 

 house. 



1008. Winter treatment. — " I generally take off the whole of the sloping 

 lights for the winter months, and cover the borders and flues with five or 

 six inches of light litter, to prevent severe frosts doing injury to either. 



1009. Forcing in the second season The glass should be put on in the 



last week in January, the house be well cleaned all over ; and the flues, as 

 far as possible, should be white-washed ; and then the trees should be 

 pruned. I have not laid down any rules for the winter pruning, as almost 

 every gardener seems to have a method peculiar to himself of performing 

 this work. — []See the article " Peach," in our Fruit Catalogue. ~\ 



1010- Applying a preventive composition. — "Previous, however, to tying the 

 trees to the trellis, I have the whole of their stems, but not the bearing 

 v/ood, washed with a composition, formed of one pound of soft-soap, one 

 ounce of tobacco, and a little flowers of sulphur, to which is added as much 

 boiling-water as will make the whole of the consistence of paint. This 



