The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-05-16 00:00:00

31/ortic4lture.
PEA.CH.ES.

I believe a peach to be one of the best of fruits. I
believe that with care end proper treatment larger cropi
may be grown out of doors, than are now grown. I
believe that the trees may be made more healthy and
vigaroua than they usually are. I will not speak of my
young trees at present, but of my three old trees now
of European fame, one of them borders. upon 30 yearn
of age, and the other two upon 50. The 30 years' old
tree, and one of the 50 years' old trees, are as fine trees
Its ever were seen. For the last eight yea rs' th ey haveboroe
4,000 peaches for the table. They are in fine foliage,
and have not had this spring a single blistered leaf.
I have disfruited 5,398 peaebes from the three trees,
and have left on for cropping 637; namely, on the top
tree, 50 years' old, 161 ; on the middle tree, 50 years'
old, 268 ; on the bottom tree, next the rivulet, 30 years'
eld, 208. The trees are quite strong enough to carry
this heavy crop. Their crop last year was 560. Six of
them won the firstprize at Blandford. Forty-one of them
were sent to the cl,jeuner at the Royal Horticulture
Gardena at Kensington. in September, and some were
sent to the Dorcheiiter bazaar.
. _ .

If then I take this crop (allowing that WWI few may
drop), I shall have gathered in nine consecutive years,
4,637 peaches, and 60 over, from three trees, varying
from nearly 30 to nearly 50 years of age. I have said
they are of European fame. Last year Mr. Willett, of
Portland•place, Brighton, came on purpose to see them.
He also came again this spring ; and such is real peach
zeal, he said, " I will come again in a few weeks." He
much approved of their management. and pronounced
the centre tree (nearly 50 years of age) to be the finest
tree that he ever saw. The soil is inferior, but highly
menared. There is no protection against the W and
SW wind, but a thorn hedge, and observe, they are
close to the waters' edge.
. . . . . .

The health of the trees is owing to sheet protection
daring the severity of winter, and also during
blossoming and leafing time. They are also abundantly
syringed, without which foliage (and hence health)
cannot be preserved. When foliage first presents itmlf,
it requires careful protection from frost, and requires
in torrid weather to be syringed to keep the hot walls
from burning it, two or three times a day,
till the leaves are hardened. My friend, Mr. Rivers,
of Sawbridgeworth, Herts., in his last letter makes
this observation :—"Syringing wall trees, either in a
house or out of doors, is the A and the 0, the every-
thing, yet gardeners suffer their wall trees to be dirty
for weeks."
Let me hope that this may induce persons, who have
only a few trees, to take pains with them. Short
prune, and look to your foliage, and keep it clean, and
you will not have to ask the question, "Why do ray
peach trees degenerate?" There is no tree here no
easily kept in repair; nor is the foliage of any other
tree, either inside or outside the garden, so healthy and
good. They are beautifully wooded for next year.
W. F. RADCLYEFE.
Tarrant Rushton.

PS.—I must not forget to mention that the heavy
crop of last year (560), were brought to perfection by
strong beer grounds, diluted with water. For two
barrels of this I am indebted to my kind friend Mr.
Robert Fookes, of Abbey Milton.