PBDNINO AMD MANAGEMENT Of THE PEACH TBEK. 



prevontcil. Nevertheless, in years when only a moderate quantity sets, the thinning 

 shoiiKl not be made till the month of June, tlic time that the stone is formed, which 

 is a crisis at which much fruit drops. When those that remain appear secure, the 

 superabundant ones are removed, so as to leave only as many as the tree can bring to 

 perfection, and nourish without exhausting itself. In this operation, the fruits that 

 arc too close together are thinned out, so as to distribute tlie whole equally, and as 

 near as possible at uniform distances, giving the preference to those that arc best 

 placed, and of a regular form. 



133. "We first thin out those fruits that arc at the tops of weak branches, or on 

 branches of which the succcssional shoot appears weak ; and there is always a less 

 number left on the lower than on the upper parts, although the former liave more 

 flowers. The fruits to be removed must be detached by turning them with the thumb 

 and the two first fingers, without jerking, taking care not to break oft' those intended 

 to remain. When the growth of the tree is well balanced, the number of fruits left 

 on each wing must be as nearly equal as possible ; and if the thinning is well done, a 

 sort of regularity is obtained which would make one believe that tlicy had been placed 

 on by hand. The green Peaches taken off" may be turned to account by the confec- 

 tioners. Notwithstanding the number of fruits dropped an3 thinned out, I still leave 

 on each square-trained Peach tree, about four or five hundred Peaches, which, from 

 their beauty and nearly equal size, well repay the trouble I take. 



134. But in abundant seasons, if we did not thin till the stone is formed, the tree 

 would be weakened. In such a case, the thinning should be made at two different 

 times : the first in June, when all that are evidently superfluous must be thinned out; 

 and the second after there is no danger of their dropping. 



135. The greater or less quantity of fruit is a means of equalizing the strength of 

 the difterent parts of the tree, as will be further explained. 



IX. On Summer-Pruning. 



136. The object of this operation is to remedy any bad results of winter-pruning, 

 of pinching, and of omissions in the disbudding; also to concentrate the sap in the 

 tree, by removing those useless productions which would have to be cut off" at the 

 winter-pruning, and which, meanwhile, would have fed on the sap at the expense of 

 others necessary to be preserved. 



137. Summer-pruning, which is performed with the secateur, or with the pruning- 

 knife, as may be requisite, is less applied to the wood-branches than to the fruit- 

 branches, especially when the winter-pruning is well done. The following, however, 

 are some circumstances where it should be employed. When the extremity of a vig- 

 orous young shoot has been too severely pinched, the upper eyes usually open at the 

 same time, and several laterals are formed causing great disorder. These are perhaps 

 pinched in their turn, and very often the result is a crowd of young shoots, origina- 

 ting near the same point. Such agglomerations receive the name of willow stools ; 



consume a great quantity of sap, and tend to impoverish the neighboring shoots, 

 this case, all these injurious shoots must bo cut down to one of the lowest and 



