ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



XVI. — Pruning and Management uf the Peach Tree. 

 According to the Method of M. Alexis Lepere, of 

 Montreuil, near Paris. 



(Translated from his Work.*) 



In August last, Mr. F. Malleson, Gardener to His Majesty the 

 King of the Belgians, at the Royal Gardens, Claremont, having 

 seen M. Lepere 's trees, expressed himself as having been highly 

 gratified with their fine appearance. "There was not," he states. 

 " a blight of any description upon them, and they were loaded with 

 fruit. M. Lepere 's system of training is the best I have ever 

 seen." It has, therefore, been considered advisable to give the 

 following translation of such parts of his work as will enable the 

 horticulturists of this country to understand his system, so much 

 approved in France, and elsewhere on the continent. It is 

 certainly desirable that every gardener should know the best 

 French mode of managing the Peach-tree ; and that he should 

 perfectly understand the principles contained in the following 

 pages, in order that he may turn them to account in improving 

 the trees that are, or may be, committed to his care. That there 

 are in many gardens in this country Peach-trees requiring to be 

 improved is a fact that cannot be denied. Errors in management 

 will appear more evident to any one who may read the following 

 paragraphs ; but whoever will attentively study the excellent 

 instructions which they contain must feel assured, that he can, in 

 consequence, effect great improvements, not only in the training 

 of young trees, but also with respect to those that have been 

 already established, under whatever mode of training they may 

 have been conducted. 



1. The Peach-tree planted under favourable circumstances 

 shoots vigorously, and its vegetation is very active from the first 

 fine days in spring till about the middle of October. Such are 

 its vegetative powers, that, during this time, it is continually 



* Pratique Raisonncc dc la Taillc du Pecker, principalemcnt en Espalier 

 Carre ; par Al. Lepere. 



