1C! I PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 



of four or more Flower-buds. It is called at Montreuil, cochonnet or 

 bouquet ile nuii (Figs. 4, 5). This sort of fruit-branch, or spur, 

 being only one and a quarter to three inches in length, and most 

 frequently forming a cluster (Fig. 5), with a single pushing-eye 

 in the midst, which suffices for drawing nourishment to the fruits, 

 ought not therefore to be shortened. It is preserved, wherever it 

 may be, in order to produce fruit. As it forms almost exclusively 

 on the old wood, we often find it in front of the principal branches ; 

 and when thus situated, it must necessarily be cut off after the 

 fruit is gathered. With regard to those on the sides, they are 

 then pruned to the lowest wood-bud ; if there be none formed, 

 and that the spur may still be useful, it is pruned to the wood- 

 bud formed on the last summer's shoot pushed by the terminal 

 eye. We must endeavour, as much as possible, to retain one or 

 two flowers beneath this pruning. As soon as the operation is 

 performed, the branch is nailed, as was said at 93 ; and some- 

 times a wood-bud, capable of replacing it at the following pruning, 

 is produced at its base. When they have eyes at their bases 

 they are properly constituted, and are pruned as directed at 89. 



96. Although I have hitherto, in conformity with the old 

 belief, directed the fruit-branches always to be pruned on a wood- 

 bud which was judged necessary to preserve a good state of 

 vegetation, yet I am now able to affirm that a terminal wood-bud 

 is not absolutely necessary for the growth and maturity of the 

 fruit. Whence it follows, that under certain circumstances, such 

 as the necessity of prolonging a fruit-branch to a great length, in 

 order to obtain a wood-bud, which after all is too high up, I prune 

 above a flower-bud, without any bad consequence, provided that 

 the base of the branch is sufficiently vigorous. 



97. The tree must be completely unnailed before pruning, lest 

 some of the branches be split, or broken, during the operation. 

 The walls and trellises are inspected, the insects destroyed, and 

 the whole made as clean as possible. The tree must not be 

 unnailed till we are ready to begin pruning ; and the principal 

 branches must be trained in, and secured immediately after the 

 operation is completed, lest they suffer from the effects of severe 

 frosts, which often occur at that time of the year. 



98. In pruning, I always commence with the fruit-branches, 

 going along the principal branches, beginning with the highest of 

 these and working downwards. This method has the advantage 

 of enabling us to judge better of the strength of the upper fruit- 

 branches, and of rendering it easier to balance them with those 



