114 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
peaches and nectarines blossoming, are made in the month of April. 
I doubt much if the majority of these, not treated on the retarding 
principle, have not attempted to blossom long since. 
It is only a few days since, that I read in a contemporary paper 
some notes on the recent severe frost, in which the writer says that 
the destruction of peaches, etc., is unparalleled, every branch being 
encased in frozen snow. Now the question arises, is such obliged 
to be the case ; and would the preventing such an occurrence ensure 
a crop ? 
Everybody must surely admit that he whose peaches or other 
fruit — be they what they may — blossom a week or two later than 
his neighbour’s, has a superior chance in the majority of seasons, 
although perhaps the gardens join each other. I much fear that in 
the heat of the controversy which has long raged between parties 
about this matter, the great principle of timely retarding has been 
lost sight of. Every gardener must know how exciting the sunshine 
sometimes is on a south wall, especially even in the end of February. 
When on the heels of frosty or cold weather the blossom buds, with 
a change of atmosphere and intense sunshine, begin to unfold 
with a dangerous rapidity. Most, too, are aware that some plants — 
not indigenous — of a highly excitable character as to their foliation, 
frequently succeed better in a cold aspect than in a warm one. 
Here, then, is the principle of retarding, to which I would direct 
attention, only a stronger case still presents itself with regard to 
the south 'wall. I would now respectfully offer a little advice on 
the summer management of wall fruits, more especially the Peach 
and Nectarine, for although the culture of the latter has advanced 
in some degree, yet we do not generally see them perfectly satis- 
factory. This is, I conceive, in part owing to the neglect of careful 
summer dressing. Many omit the stopping of gross shoots, termed 
“ robbers ; ” many more leave too much of the annual spray on 
their trees ; the sure consequence of which is imperfectly-formed 
blossom-buds, many of which become either absolutely barren, or 
produce diminutive fruits. 
It ought to be taken as a maxim by the careful peach-dresser, 
not to leave a single young shoot on the trees at the final disbud- 
ding for which a reason does not exist. This may appear hard 
doctrine to those accustomed to leave them somewhat at random, 
which indeed too many are compelled to do, through the want of a 
sufficient staff of the right sort of labourers; still we must not 
confound principles with mere expedients ; my advice is offered to 
those who are more fortunately situated. 
Disbudding should extend over a period of some three weeks or 
a month ; and once a week during that period will set all right. In 
the first disbudding, the more foreright shoots, and those jammed 
in, should be removed ; in addition to these, the shoots which com- 
pete with the leader should be rubbed away, and also any rival 
shoots at the lower part of each “ fork,” where an experienced 
peach-dresser will always direct his special attention, for it is of 
the greatest import that the very lowest-situated healthy young 
shoots should be preserved. This secures that succession of wood 
