138 PRUNING AN'D MANAGEMENT OP THE PEACH TREE. 



making fresh shoots which require a constant and judicious super 



intendence, if we wish to manage properly, and this greatly 

 depends on stopping in time those growths which are not likely to 

 suit our purpose. 



2. As soon as the genial influence of spring is felt, the buds 

 swell, and very soon the flowers come out : whilst the leaves, more 

 backward, are yet within their envelopes. Afterwards the leaf- 

 buds open their scales, and the shoots burst forth, to become, the 

 following year, branches of greater or less length. 



3. From May to August, the leaves, coming successively to 

 maturity, acquire a more compact structure, and consequently 

 absorb less sap. This, continuing to flow, seeks fresh outlets, and 

 produces, at the axil of the leaves, buds which remain as such, or 

 break into laterals according to the time of their formation, the 

 continuance of fine weather, and the vigour of the tree. 



1. These new productions, all formed in the course of the 

 growing season, are easily seen at the fall of the leaf. They are 

 the source from which our hopes of future crops arise ; and as it 

 is necessary to know them well, 1 therefore proceed to explain 

 them in detail. 



5, a. Eyes or Buds. These are envelopes containing the 

 rudiments of shoots, leaves, flowers, and fruit. They are conical, 

 and covered with little imbricated scales, more or less coriaceous, 

 and which are merely ahortive leaves dried by the air, so as to 

 protect the tender parts which they inclose from the severities of 

 the winter. They continue in this state as long as the flow of 

 sap is arrested by the cold ; and they commence growing when 

 the weather becomes sufficiently warm to put the sap in motion. 



0. If the eye does not receive proper nourishment it may 

 remain a long time inactive ; it is then called a latent hud (eoil 

 expectant). It is generally roused from this dormant state by 

 pruning, performed with the view of calling it into action : or 

 naturally, by an increased flow of sap which acts as a stimulus to 

 it : otherwise, it may become completely extinct. 



7. J5uds become either Wood-buds, <>r Fruit-buds; and it is 

 important for the operations of pruning to distinguish well these 

 two conditions. I may, however, remark, that with reference to 

 the Peach-free, the nature of the bud is never doubtful to an 

 experienced person. In fact, its form, its place, the age of tho 

 wood on which It appears, all help to show the function which it 

 is destined to perform ; lint for those little acquainted with this 

 tree, il is necessary to enter more into detail. 



