180 PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 



strength in proportion to that of the leading shoot of the main 

 branch, a. If necessary, superfluous shoots are removed at the 

 disbudding, especially those at the front and back. The excessive 

 growth of those that are overbearing is kept down by pinching ; 

 and lastly, we must endeavour to maintain a constant balance as 

 regards length and thickness of shoots between the two wings. 

 It is of importance not to concentrate the sap too much in young 

 trees, but to leave it the necessary outlets. All regulating 

 operations, such as pinching, should be conducted according to the 

 state of growth of the tree, and should be performed to a greater 

 extent when it is very vigorous. 



152. If the balance is disturbed, it can be restored in several 

 ways. The tree may be unnailed and re-nailed, so that the weakly 

 wing may be more or less vertical ; whilst the stronger one is 

 lowered. This means, seconded by disbudding and pinching, is 

 generally sufficient. But if it do not produce the desired effect, 

 the weakly wing may be brought out from the wall, in order to 

 give it still greater liberty (100). Nevertheless, that its branches 

 may not take an improper direction, one or more props are placed 

 behind them at six or eight inches from the wall. The wing 

 is supported on these props so as to give it more air, which 

 will greatly tend to strengthen it. It might be left perfectly 

 free, if it were not for fear of the blasts of wind, which might 

 break some of the branches, or bruise the bark and the green 

 parts by shaking; it is therefore prudent to fix it as above. 

 When the equilibrium is restored, the tree is re-nailed with 

 regularity. The wing should not be brought forward from the 

 wall except in fine weather, because, from its distance from the 

 wall, it is deprived of the protection of the copings and screens, 

 and would be more exposed to frosts. In pointing out this mode 

 of restoring the balance between the two wings, a mode which 

 can be employed for trees of any age, the necessity of giving a 

 perfect regularity to the young tree from the very commence- 

 ment is insisted on ; because it appears that when once the sap 

 begins to distribute itself equally through the different parts of 

 the tree, it continues to flow with greater regularity, and presents 

 fewer difficulties to a fine formation. 



153. There is another very simple mode, which, though not so 

 efficacious, suffices in the majority of cases. It consists in 

 placing a shading of straw mats, or boards, at eight to ten inches 

 above the stronger wing. This privation of a certain amount of 

 light and air is often sufficient to enable the weakly wing, which 



