PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OP THE TEACH TREE. 143 



framework of the tree. They receive different names according 

 to their place ; hut I will speak of this in treating on pruning, 

 having only to consider here the Peach-tree, and the nature of 

 its productions. 



28. Second sort. The fruit-branch follows the mixed shoot 

 (24 |, as has been seen, and is always borne by the wood-branches. 

 It is of the greatest importance ; for on it all hopes of a crop 

 depend. We also call it at Alontreuil the sin/i/l branch {la petite 

 tranche), from the difference between its size and that of the 

 wood-branch. In fact, its thickness rarely exceeds that of a large 

 quill; after having borne fruit it becomes a wood-branch, if nol 

 removed by pruning, in order to replace it by another of an age 

 to bear. 



29. The fruit-branches, besides their use of producing lino 

 and good fruit, have another that is not without its interest, that 

 of shading from the excessive heat of the sun both the fruit which 

 they nourish and the bark of the wood-branches which bear them. 

 and to which the nearer they are the better they protect. 



30. Such is the account that I have deemed necessary to 

 make of the manner in which the vegetation of the Peach-tree is 

 carried on. I have thought this necessary, in order to render more 

 intelligible the explanations which I have to give on its pruning 



In recapitulating what has been said, we recognise that all 

 growths m this kind of tree commence by an eye or bud ; that 

 this eye is either a wood-bud or a fruit-bud ; that the wood-bud 

 may be produced on all parts of the tree, even upon those that 

 are oldest; that it successively becomes a young shoot, a shoot, 

 and a wood or fruit-branch ; that the Mower-bud is not produced 

 on any other than wood of one year old ; and that to have fruit 

 for any length of time, we must know bow to produce a succession 

 of this young wood. 



Lastly, it is doubtless understood, that each wing of a Peach' 

 tree trained against a wall is the product of an eye of the original 

 tree that has undergone all the changes spoken of. 



Section II. — Pbopagation op thf. Peach bt Buddxho. 



31. It is by budding that the Peach-tree is propagated. The 

 proper stocks for it are the Almond, the Saint Julien and Damask 

 Plums, and the Peach itself. Lately the Myrobalan Plum has been 

 budded on, and is said to produce excellent stocks for this purpose, 

 but I have not tried it. 



