182 PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 



the first lower secondary branch. If such be the case, its forma- 

 tion must be deferred till the following year ; and the two main 

 branches are pruned to eyes properly situated for their prolongation. 

 At the second winter-pruning, whatever may be the length of 

 their leading shoots, they must still be cut down to the stated 

 height of fifteen inches and three quarters, each of them to two 

 eyes chosen as aforesaid — one for the prolongation of the main 

 branch, and the other for forming the first secondary branch. 

 I have shown at c (Fig. 7) the point at which the pruning must 

 be made in this case, which causes no other inconvenience than 

 that of retarding the formation of the lower secondary branches 

 for one year. 



158. Second Pruning. — Third year of planting. Fig. 8 

 represents the state of the tree after the second year's growth. 

 The two main branches, a, a, have increased in length ; so also 

 have the two first secondary branches, b, b. All the shoots and 

 laterals which have grown on the sides of these four branches 

 are pruned to two or three eyes ; then the main branch a is 

 pruned at about thirty-one inches and a half from the insertion 

 of the secondary branch B, after having ascertained that there 

 are eyes properly situated at a like height on the other branch a, 

 in order that a symmetry as perfect as possible may exist between 

 the two wings of the tree. This interval of thirty-one inches 

 and a half affords facility in nailing the fruit-branches formed 

 along the secondary branches, and allows a free play of air and light . 

 The main branches a and a are pruned at c, each on a wood- 

 bud, a, situated on the upper side ; and having a second eye, b, 

 situated on the under side, which is to become the second lower 

 secondary branch. If there should not be a wood-bud properly 

 situated for a leader, there is no objection to choosing one in 

 front ; but then, when it pushes, and as it proceeds in growth, 

 it must be nailed so as to make it gradually take the right 

 direction, because it has a tendency to grow outward. The two 

 branches b, b are then both pruned to the same length, about 

 thirty-one inches and a half, in order that, when the four arms 

 are nailed, the points of the branches on each wing may nearly 

 touch a perpendicular line supposed to be drawn from the base 

 of the wall to the coping. This would be the case if the tree, 

 represented by Fig. 8, where the cuts on the leading branches are 

 seen at c c, were nailed ; because the ultimate depression of the 

 main branches would make the two points on each wing nearly 

 touch the same vertical line. 



