PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 167 



them readily, we cannot well calculate the tension which we wish 

 to produce. 



106. When there is a trellis, we train the principal branches 

 upon it, fasteniug them with osiers. The fruit-branches and 

 young shoots are tied with rushes. In gentlemen's gardens, 

 guides, of which I have before spoken (102), are fixed to the 

 trellis ; and also a rod at each side of every principal branch, and 

 parallel to its direction. The above is a conveuient way of 

 training the fruit-branches in their proper place, which could not 

 always be done if they happened to be opposite the openings of 

 the trellis. 



107. Latterly some walls have been covered with trellises of 

 iron wire. I prefer those made of wood ; but if the iron ones are 

 used, guides must be employed for training the principal branches, 

 and when they are fastened to such trellis, care must be taken to 

 wrap the wire several times round with osier, so that the branches 

 may rest on the latter, in order to prevent their bark from being 

 bruised and rusted by the iron. 



108. a, Winter-nailing. This is the first operation performed 

 after the winter-pruning, and the training of the principal 

 branches. All the fruit-branches are fastened in the place they 

 should occupy, having due regard, at the same time, to their form 

 and strength. 



109. It has been shown (100) that the growth of a wood-branch, 

 likely to become too strong, is diminished by close training, and 

 keeping it in a confined position ; and that, on the contrary, it 

 may be roused from a state of languor by giviug it greater 

 liberty. Nailing acts in the same way on the fruit-brauches. 

 The restraint that can be produced by nailing has beneficial 

 effects chiefly on the upper sides and near the extremities, where 

 vegetation is always more active, and which ought to be the more 

 restrained, as it tends to increase the distance of prominent eyes 

 from the place where the branch takes its rise. Ou the other 

 hand, the branches on the lower side must be so nailed as to be 

 in the best position to allow of a free flow of sap. The fruit- 

 branches must be nailed near enough the principal branches to 

 shade them with their leaves from the sun, and so that no naked 

 spaces may exist. In short, with a few exceptions, among which 

 are the fruit-branches that require to be constrained, all the fruit- 

 branches ought to form, with the branch that gives rise to them, a 

 rectilinear angle of greater or less extent. 



1 10. Whatever care or foresight may be used in maintaining a 



