The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-04-03
PEACH CULTURE---No. >.
BY II. W. sTACKHoUsE

We will continue our article OF
Peach Culture. In brief name
will first discuss the merits of budded
grated and seedlings: I consider thu
latter as being the most vigorous o
the three, while the Seeding approx
mates very near the Seeding. Why
ia the budded tree the weakest? Ac
cording to the usual mode of budding
the bud is inserted close to the union
of stem and root, the weakest part o
the tree, this could be avoided by in
serting a foot above the ground;
know there is an objection. In cut
ting them off two feet which is the
proper length, when planted out, you
have one foot less for the tree to send
out buds. The effect of the bud is to
make the part glandular in character
instead of having the sap vessels going
in straight lines, they are contorted-
the effect is to detain the sap, and in
more northern latitudes causes the
death of the tree by freezing of the
sap. This can hardly happen here
but produces a kind of weakness,
which no doubt, has much to do in
producing malignant disease which
the tree is liable to, and will be dis
cussed hereafter.
This objection, as regards the graft
ed tree does not prevail with the seed
ling.
Being grated under the ground, has
this advantages: Should the main
stem die down to the ground, it can
put out, and you will still have the
fruit you desired at first.
The Seeding, in the natural state,
has all its pristine vigor. 1t is
even believed by some Il suppose from
this cause that the fruit is not as
liable to be damaged by frosts this
has not been established as a fact, and
that the tree lives longer, has to be
more firmly substantiated. Admitting
all the above, there is one great adj
vantage the budded tree has over that
of the Seeding, which more than
overbalances, that is, you know you
are getting the peach you want;
which is not the case with the seed
ling. We may by planting seedlings
eventually lose some of our most val
liable varieties; for instance, there is
the Columbia, or st. Stephens. l do
not know where it is to be found in its
purity. We have plenty of spuri-
GUS kind but the pure variety is one
of the best of peaches.
Yet, think, with a little trouble,
we can have the variety we want,
even in the Seeding. Take the best
early kind-say either the Alexander,
Amsden, or Porter, and plant them
out remote from any other peach.
Let a dozen include all these save
the best peaches from these for seed;
do the same with their product, and
you can't fail to have the peach you
want, with all the vigor of a Seeding.
In our last, we gave the proper dis
lance and direction for planting out,
which is a protection against the
southwest winds, and the rain storms
of the spring. When the earth be-
comes saturated with water, it is an
easy matter to have the trees inclined
toward the northeast. If not imme-
diately corrected, the tree becomes
fixed in that directiOn-tO regain a |
perpendicular direction, the tree be-
comes concave, which makes the rays |.
of the sun more destructive in July |
and August. Being only ten or
twelve feet apart lengthways in the |
rows one tree covers another like the |
shingles on house. Nothing is so
destructive t. peach trees, in the
South, as the burning rays of the sun.
Another additional shield against our
scorching sun and rain storms, is a |
piece of plank ks and five feet long, |
one end sawed in the shape of V
the V end to embrace the tree as a
prop in the spring on the northwest
side-to be transferred in July to the
secured By a nail.
We have no cause so fertile Of mis-
chief to young trees as the suns rays
being evidenced in every direction
On the southwest side of the trees.