424 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Nectarine— continued. 
intended for fan training, it is planted either against a 
wall or in the open ground, as in nurseries, where tem- 
porary stakes are inserted, on which to eventually train 
the branches. In the autumn, it should be cut hard 
back to within about three eyes of the place where the 
bud was inserted. Shoots from two of these eyes should 
be encouraged to grow, one on either side of the stem, 
and, if they succeed with equal vigour, the other will 
not be required. The flow of sap may be checked 
eventually, should there be a tendency on the part of 
one leading branch to grow stronger than another, by 
merely bending the point down, or bringing it into a more 
horizontal direction. At the same time, the weaker one 
should be brought more upright, and an opposite. effect 
will be the result. Other shoots, which are intended 
to form leading branches, will, in due course, be 
obtained from the base of those already referred to, 
Fig. 657. NECTA RINE AND PEACH. Branch of Ripene 
showing 5 Single, (B) Double, and (C) Triple 
represent Wood-buds ; b, b, b, Blossom-buds. 
and these should also be disposed so as to balance the 
head as evenly as possible. The centres of young trees 
should be kept clear; it is never difficult to get them 
filled at almost any time, when the branches that are 
required to be at an angle are properly established. A 
_ central shoot, allowed to grow upright, would, in any 
case, be certain to grow too strong. Winter pruning 
a, a, Q 
favourable weather, at any time when the leaves 
re off, but before the buds expand in spring, and 
training may follow immediately after. The leading 
ranches should first be placed in position, and secured, 
subsidiary ones being arranged afterwards. Expe- 
ced cultivators remove weak and misplaced branches 
almost any season, when it is seen they are not 
likely to be of use for fruit-bearing, and train new and 
which grows from the bud the first season. When 
Wood, 
of Peach and Nectarine-trees may be practised, in 
shoots to take the pikes of those removed. This 
Nectarine continued. 
may be practised more especially so soon as it is certain 
the fruits are set, and the str t and best- placed 
ones can be selected for bearing. isbudding is annually 
of great importance in Peach and Nectarine culture, the 
number of new shoots which appear in spring being ten- 
fold more than can be accommodated with space. A 
“ further reference will be made to this when treating of 
trees grown under glass. 
Cordon training possesses advantages in many respects 
over the fan method, as it is much easier of accomplish- 
ment, a wall may be covered in a much shorter time, 
and a larger number of trees, and, consequently, of: 
distinct varieties, may be planted in a given space. 
Single cordons, trained in an oblique direction, repre- 
sent the system usually practised in this style with the 
Peach and Nectarine; they may be planted as near as 
2ft. apart. Maiden trees, if well ripened, need not be 
cut back very much, if they are furnished with lateral 
side shoots throughout, and a good wood-bud is present 
for shortening to. These laterals should be regulated 
as equally as possible, on either side of the leader, and 
be nailed in: the leader must be specially attended 
to, until its limit is reached. It should, meanwhile, 
be pinched once or twice during the season, so as to 
encourage plenty of side shoots, any of which, if not 
required, may have their points pinched out. All the 
wood made by established trees on the cordon system, 
should be intended for fruit-bearing; and, if new shoots 
are encouraged from the base of the laterals each year, 
and receive proper attention, by exposure to light, and 
stopping them from the top of the tree downwards, as 
they reach their limit, nearly all the old laterals may 
be taken off, after the fruit is gathered, immediately 
above the place whence the new ones proceed. 
The foregoing are somewhat general remarks respecting 
the pruning and training of Peach and Nectarine-trees— 
work which is amongst the most important in gardening 
operations, and which, moreover, the most lengthy and 
minute details in books would but imperfectly teach. 
There are few subjects amongst fruit-trees that require 
such frequent and timely attention, especially under 
glass; and, if cultural success would be attained, these 
operations must be conducted only by persons who are 
fully acquainted with what is conducive to that end, and 
are capable of exercising forethought and discretion, 
which, in this case, must be the outcome of personal 
experience in performing or assisting with the work. 
Cultivation under Glass. There are few gardens 
where fruit-trees of any description are forced, and 
the Peach and Nectarine not included. Next to the 
Vine, their fruits are, in general, the most important; 
and, if forcing is not resorted to, the trees ripen crops 
under glass at any season that are far superior to 
those secured from outside. In the northerly and un- 
favourable parts of the country, too, glass protection 
becomes a necessity in order to get fruits to ripen at 
all. This is sometimes provided in the shape of what 
are termed glass cases. They consist of upright 
sashes placed at a sufficient distance only from wall 
trees to allow of the latter being attended to. The 
sashes are sometimes made movable, by being placed on 
rollers at the base, and the portion of roof which 
connects their tops with the wall should be provided 
with ventilators. Trees grown under glass are usually 
trained to a wire trellis—represented by the dotted line 
in Fig. 658—either fixed or movable, and situated about 
a foot from the roof. They are also sometimes trained 
to the back wall; and a combination of both systems 
may be practised, by limiting the top growth of those 
at the front part of the house, and planting trees with 
tall stems at the back. Peach and Nectarine-trees lift 
readily in autumn, even when of large size, if care is 
taken in the operation; consequently, it is a good * 
