With a proper selection of varieties and cautious forcing, few fruits can be forced early with more constant success than Peaches. For years in succession we have gathered Peaches from the same trees in the last week of April. The varieties were Royal George and Violet Ha-tive - which are now superseded by kinds that can be brought to perfection in less time by nearly if not quite a month; but the two sorts named are not equalled in size and quality by the earlier ones, by which nothing is gained except the time; and it may be the opinion of many that April is early enough for Peaches and Nectarines. The sorts we would recommend now to those who are planting trees intended for early forcing, in houses where there may be space for two Peaches and a Nectarine, are Hales's Early and Violet Ha-tive Peaches, and Lord Napier Neetarine. To ripen these for end of April and May it is necessary to start early in December, and carry on the work of forcing slowly until the critical times of setting and stoning are past; and then the Peach and Nectarine bear smart forcing, especially when high afternoon and evening temperature can be maintained chiefly with the aid of sun-heat. One of the rocks ahead in early Peach forcing is the allowing of the borders, when roots are chietly under glass, to get over-dry between the time the leaves have dropped and the buds begin to swell.

Over-dryness for a length of time then causes the buds to drop off before they expand, and does the system of the trees much harm. The soil about their roots should never be very dry. When the fruit is set thoroughly, go over the trees and rub off a quantity of the smallest and most pointed looking, especially those on the under sides of the shoots. Let the rubbing off of a quantity of the wood-buds be also attended to early. The thinning of both fruits and shoots should be begun early, and finally completed at three or four times, ultimately leaving a shoot at the base and top of each fruit-bearing growth, unless they are of great length, on young trees, when of course some must be left to properly furnish the trees. Syringe the trees with tepid water in the morning and at shutting-up time. Advance the night temperature to 55° when cold, and 60° when mild. See that the inside border is kept moist - and the atmosphere also, by means of frequent sprinklings. Start a succession-house with a few degrees more heat than recommended for the earlier house, unless the weather prove very wintry, as it often does in February. But even then, more aid is generally available from the sun.

All late trees under glass, if not already pruned, should be attended to at once. .

Peach Forcing #1

If the weather be cold and sunless, force with the same caution recommended last month. To force Peaches at a high temperature from fire-heat is never desirable, far less so until the stoning period be passed. Do not exceed 55° to 60°, according to the state of the weather, until they begin to swell after stoning. Then, if the fruit is required as early as possible, 5° more may be given in ordinary weather, especially when the house can be shut up early with sun-heat. See that the inside borders are kept properly moist, and syringe the trees at shutting-up time on fine days. Keep a sharp look-out for green-fly, and fumigate with tobacco when any sign of it appears, Last month's directions can still be carried out in succession and late houses. All trees under glass, where there is unfortunately no fire-heat, should be kept as open and cool as possible to keep them back, for if brought on quickly into bloom, a late frost may do them serious damage.

Peach Forcing #2

To get Peaches now ripening of good flavour, they require to have a free circulation of air about them, and full exposure to the sun. Put aside all leaves that may be shading them, so that the sun can lay on those rich mellow tinges peculiar to a well-flavoured Peach. Syringe later crops freely on fine afternoons, and keep a strict watch on the state of the soil where the roots are chiefly in inside borders. Give good soakings of manure-water, and if not already done, lay a few inches of manure on the surface of the borders. In disbudding and tying in the young wood, reserve very little more than is sufficient to furnish the trees with bearing-wood for next year. Thin the fruit by degrees, and finally after they have stoned. If green-fly appears, fumigate with tobacco before it gets a footing. In 1879 we syringed two trees with paraffin-oil and water after the leaves dropped, and on these two trees there was no green-fly last year. Last winter the whole trees were dressed with paraffin, and up till the middle of April we have not detected a fly on some thirty trees that were attacked before the fruit were set last year. Pinch all shoots that are growing much more strongly than others on young trees, so as to equalise the growth as much as possible.

Trees that are inclined to grow too strongly can be checked by rather heavy cropping.