PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 179 



merit commences of the eyes a and b, destined to originate tire 

 two main branches of the tree ; and eyes situated lower than 

 these, as c, are not destroyed till the two shoots from a and b are 

 fairly started. 



148. During this first year of planting, it is sufficient to 

 superintend the growth of the two young shoots by training them 

 loosely in the form of a somewhat open V. Their training is 

 continued according to their growth, and so that the young shoots 

 may take a perfectly straight direction. The first year's growth, 

 except in case of accident, generally gives the results which are 

 represented by Fig. 7. At this stage, it is of importance to 

 direct the young shoots by two perfectly straight rods. 



149. If by any chance one of the young shoots should perish, 

 the survivor must be trained upright, and pinched when ten or 

 twelve inches in length, in order to form well-established eyes at 

 its base, with the view of obtaining, in the following spring, two 

 young shoots fit for commencing the two main branches. 



150. Fiest Pruning. — Second year of planting. Fig. 7 repre- 

 sents the results of the first summer's growth. "We begin by 

 cutting off the piece c, closely to the angle formed by the two 

 branches. This portion of stem has been retained till now, in 

 order that its three young shoots, which have been pinched when 

 necessary, might assist the two buds a and b (Fig. 6) in drawing 

 the sap. The latter have made the shoots a, a (Fig 7), of 

 sufficient growth to allow of our pruning the two main branches 

 to the proper length. This length is about fifteen or sixteen 

 inches, measuring from the insertion of the branch. We must 

 now examine the state of the two main branches, and endeavour 

 to find two properly placed eyes at the above height. One of them, 

 a (Fig. 7), situated on the upper side, is intended to serve for the 

 prolongation of the main branch; and the other, b (in the same 

 figure), and situated on the lower side, to form the first lower 

 secondary branch. The other main branch, a, is examined for 

 two similar eyes at the same height, or nearly so. When that 

 is done, each of the two main branches is pruned on the eye a, 

 which becomes the terminal pushing one ; and the eye b gives rise 

 to the first lower secondary branch. 



151. As the effect of the pruning on the eye a is to induce 

 great activity of vegetation (65), the resulting shoot must be 

 watched, and nailed at the proper time. The eye b must be equally 

 watched, and nailed when necessary, training it by a rod in 

 the right direction, endeavouring at the same time to keep its 



