PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 189 



method of square training is not only easy of execution, but 

 durable in its effects. This is an advantage which those who 

 treat on training do not always possess, and who would be greatly 

 perplexed to show living examples of trees trained in accordance 

 with their principles, although they may have had trees engraved 

 as if such had been actually in existence. 



179. During the ninth year from planting, the growth of 

 shoots more or less vigorous, which will be developed on all the 

 branches, must be watched, so as to modify and govern it according 

 to the state of the tree, by means of pinching, disbudding, and 

 nailing. 



If, during the summer, any of the terminal shoots, E, E, E, grow 

 too long, summer-pruning must be employed. The leader must 

 be cut back on a lateral placed in front, and which is nailed in 

 the best way to counteract its growth, and to keep these branches 

 within their prescribed limits, as they are always more inclined 

 than the others to grow too strong, owing to their almost vertical 

 direction. 



II. The Pruning of the Peach-tree in the Square Form after its 

 formation is complete. 



180. Having explained the various annual operations by which 

 the complete formation of the ti'ee is effected at the eighth winter- 

 pruning, it is now necessary to state by what means its regularity, 

 as well as its productiveness, may be maintained, during the 

 fifteen or twenty years which it may be expected to live. 



18 L. At each year's winter-pruning, the branch that has borne 

 fruit is cut off close to the one trained to replace it, and the latter 

 is shortened to a wood-bud situated above several blossom-buds. 

 Sometimes this successional fruit-branch is necessarily left much 

 longer than we could wish, owing to the flower-buds being situated 

 near the top of the shoot ; this is frequently the case on the 

 upper sides where the strongest shoots have more wood-buds at 

 their bases ; but it need not cause us any uneasiness, as we are 

 sure of being able to remedy it at the following pruning, and we 

 can, by leaving the shoot long, obtain one or two Peaches, of 

 which we would otherwise have been deprived. Besides, the 

 shoot may be pruned immediately above a flower-bud, as stated 

 (96). By thus maintaining on the principal branches well- 

 conditioned fruit-branches and young wood to replace them, it will 

 be perceived that the sap is forced to distribute itself equally, 



