190 PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 



and that it is prevented from running through all the sap-vessels of 

 the principal branches so rapidly as only to leave badly-elaborated 

 juices. During the existence of the tree, the pruning of the 

 fin it- branches is always the same ; and disbudding and pinching 

 are the regulators by which we can conduct the development of 

 these branches at will (87 — 96). 



182. With regard to the principal branches, their pruning 

 ought to be governed by two principles. The first is to encourage 

 the prolongation of the branches a, b, c, d ; the second, on the 

 contrary, is to restrain as much as possible the growth of the 

 extremities e, e, e. These two opposite means mutually assist 

 each other. In fact, it may easily be conceived that, in conse- 

 quence of the elongation of the extremities a, b, c, r>, producing 

 young shoots and leaves, these branches attract a greater quantity 

 of sap than flows to the upper secondaries, checked as it is at the 

 same time by the obstacles opposed to the growth of the latter, 

 and thus inducing its flow towards the extremities a, b, c, d, 

 thereby contributing so much the more to their growth. 



183. Therefore the four last are pruned as long as possible, in 

 order that their points may regularly touch the perpendicular line 

 drawn from the top of the wall to the earth. The only limit to 

 this elongation is the height of the wall which prevents the 

 branch a from attaining a greater length than that at which it 

 touches the under side of the coping ; and which, consequently, 

 obliges us to keep the three secondary branches, b, c, d, in a 

 relative proportion, so that their extremities, when nailed, may 

 not extend beyond the perpendicular line falling from the point 

 of the branch, a. 



184. When it has reached the coping, there are three modes- of 

 proceeding. 1st, — By the annual cutting back of each of the 

 four branches a, b, c, d, on shoots proper for replacing the 

 extremities of the branches shortened back. These shoots are 

 each pruned on a wood-bud suitable for a leader. This is the 

 way generally adopted ; and must necessarily be so when, as has 

 been pointed out (59), the Peach-trees are only twenty-six feet 

 apart, and consequently there is no more space for the extension 

 of the branches. 



185. 2nd, — By the annual cutting back of the branch a only, 

 which must be treated from that time the same as will be directed 

 at 187 for the branches e, e, e, and by the equal elongation of 

 the branches b, c, d, until the branch d, in its turn, reach the 

 • •••ping. But, to employ this method, there must be certain con- 



