400 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



height than 12 inches from the ground, while riders may have their buds 

 as high as from 3 to 5 feet from the root. The following spring these 

 buds will start into active growth, and if not pinched will make shoots 

 3 or 4 feet in length. Some cultivators make a practice of pinching 

 the young shoot when 6 or 7 inches in height, in order to induce it to 

 form a young fan-tree the first year. This they no doubt accomplish, 

 but it is very doubtful whether much is gained by the practice or not. 

 My own opinion is that a better and healthier tree is to be obtained 

 by allowing the bud to grow at freedom during the first season, and 

 at the pruning time in winter cut it back to 6 or 7 inches to form the 

 young tree. Where the shoot is cut back in spring to the height I 

 indicated, the lateral growths which are formed are invariably long- 

 jointed and watery, and seldom ripen so thoroughly as is absolutely 

 necessary for the Peach and Nectarine. Such being the case, there can 

 be little doubt but that the year gained at first is not a year gained in 

 the end, but rather the reverse ; and for this reason I would not recom- 

 mend the practice, but would rather induce a good and well-ripened 

 growth to be made during the first season, believing as I do that the 

 future health and wellbeing of any sort of tree depend almost entirely 

 upon the constitution that is induced during the first year or two of 

 its life. 



Some cultivators have adopted grafting with considerable success. 

 For this purpose firm short-jointed wood is selected, with a small 

 portion of two-year-old wood attached. These should be taken off 

 when the tree is thoroughly at rest, and put in by the heels in some 

 sheltered corner until the grafting season comes round. Any of the 

 many modes of grafting may be adopted, but whip-grafting I prefer. 

 In the third volume of the ' Gardener's Magazine,' p. 149, Mr Cameron 

 of Highbeach, Essex, gives an account of how he performs this opera- 

 tion, and from its simplicity and novelty I reproduce it here. He says: 

 " Sow in autumn kernels of Peaches, Nectarines, or Apricots, under the 

 walls where they are to remain. They will make a vigorous shoot the 

 following spring, and may either be budded in August of the same 

 year, or grafted the March of the year following. Grafting is the 

 mode I prefer, and the scion should have \ inch of two-year-old wood 

 at its lower extremity ; at least, I have found scions so taken off suc- 

 ceed better than those taken indifferently from any part of the young 

 wood. Cut the stock with a dovetail notch for the scion to rest on, 

 and tie it on in the usual manner." James M'Millan. 



{To be continued.) 



