AUGUST. 
229 
Peach, and requires precisely the same treatment. Indeed it is nothing 
more than an accidental variety, or properly a smooth Peach, and subject 
at any time to change from one to the other, when raised from seed. 
The Lewis or Boston Nectarine is an illustration of this; it origi¬ 
nated from a Peach stone. Again, both Peaches and Nectarines in 
several instances have been produced side by side on the same 
branch ; and farther, if the downy substance or coating be carefully 
removed from a fruit of the Peach in its young state, its growth will be 
that of a Nectarine, not only in appearance, but it will also partake of 
its qualities. 
The foregoing remarks merely show the close affinity of the two 
varieties, although the fruits are distinct in appearance. 
In the cultivation of the Peach in the open air, there are things 
indispensable to the health and longevity of the trees, which should 
not be neglected or forgotten. The first and most important is to 
screen the trees from the injurious effects of spring frost, and it is good 
policy to be prepared to meet an enemy; covering, therefore, by night 
cannot be too strongly urged. Although it is not every season that we 
get spring frost severe enough to destroy a crop, or do the trees any very 
serious injury, we are always subject to its influence, and twice 
within the past ten years it has happened, and was the cause of many 
Peach trees dying through the country, where the necessary precaution 
was not taken to avert the evil. Secondly, be careful not to expose 
the main branches to the direct rays of a scorching sun,—by removing 
too much foliage in disbudding at the early part of the season; indeed 
it is better not to be in a hurry with this operation, and wait till the 
crop is safe, and all danger of an attack of “ curl ” is past. When once 
the branches become bare, with scanty foliage, the trees seldom 
recover; and lastly, at all times keep the trees free from insects. 
As the Peach produces its fruit from wood of the previous year’s 
growth, and occasionally from short natural spurs on the two-year-old 
wood, it is best to adopt the fan shape of training, as represented in a 
previous chapter (see training), which consists of four shoots trained at 
equal distances from the stem, to form the principal leaders, from 
which sub-leaders are trained about a foot apart, radiating from the 
centre, and from the latter branches the bearing wood is furnished, both 
from the upper and under side of the leaders, which are alternately 
cut back to furnish the annual supply of bearing wood, and no system 
offers greater facility for so doing. In the summer treatment it is 
necessary to stop all terminal shoots growing on the fruiting branches, 
which are to be removed at the winter pruning, and select a supply 
of young shoots to take their place the following season. Let us suppose 
we commence with disbudding, that is, removing all superfluous shoots, 
which must be done sparingly at first, only removing those shoots that 
have a tendency to strong growth. This operation should proceed at 
intervals till midsummer, so that the trees at all times are furnished 
with ample foliage necessary for the elaboration of sap; at the same 
time sufficiently thin to admit air and light to the growing shoots. 
About the end of June the thinning should be completed, and all young 
shoots that are not required to furnish bearing wood must be removed, 
