PEUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TBEE. 157 



to an eye situated on the under side of the branch. In cutting 

 to an eye on the under side, the shoot from it has a natural 

 tendency to take the direction we desire. The same holds good 

 in pruning the main branches, after the formation of the three 

 lower secondary branches ; but previously it would not, owing to 

 the alternate position of the buds. For the prolongation of the 

 main branches, we should generally cut to an eye so situated as 

 that the one immediately below it may be on the under side for 

 the development of a lower secondary branch. The eye to which 

 a main branch ought to be shortened must not, however, be 

 chosen in all cases in this manner. Under some circumstances, 

 it may be preferably shortened to a bud placed on any side, pro- 

 vided it be at the proper height, and the position of the shoot is 

 afterwards regulated by nailing. When a branch is stronger than 

 its fellow, its pruning must be so managed as to check it ; whilst 

 the weakly branch must be pruned in such a manner as to 

 promote its growth ; and thus equality will be ultimately restored. 

 With this aim, I cut back the stronger to a triple wood-bud (13), 

 and destroy the middle one, which is always the strongest, with 

 the point of the pruning-knife. As soon as the remaining two 

 are grown up, I preserve the one that appears the best fitted for 

 the object in view, and the other is cut off. Lastly, when there is 

 a strongly-marked inequality, the weaker branch may be cut back 

 to a vigorous shoot which may be made the leader ; and in training, 

 this must be allowed to grow as freely as is consistent with the 

 regularity of the tree. 



74. With regard to the upper secondary branches, they are 

 formed, when it is time to do so, from a fruit-branch suitably 

 placed, of the thickness of a quill throughout its length, of 

 moderate vigour, and which has been several times pruned back. 

 To accomplish this, the successional bearing-shoot is cut out close 

 to its base, and the branch that has borne fruit the year before is 

 pruned to a wood-eye for a leading shoot. The formation of 

 upper secondary branches must be watched progressively, in order 

 that their base may be always well furnished with branches that 

 shall not be over-vigorous for fruiting. This requires much care, 

 and pinching and disbudding must be resorted to, in order to 

 check the tendency of the sap to rise most abundantly through 

 vertical channels. They are also pruned to a triple bud for a 

 leader; and frequently, when they still prove too vigorous, they 

 are cut back to a well-placed lateral, the latter being shortened to 

 a suitable wood-bud. 



