160 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



the brandies thinned out, and the main branches that form the frame- 

 work of the tree shortened back, and, as a rule, cut off two-thirds of 

 the growth of the current season's wood, leaving about one-third to 

 form the fi-amework of the tree. In pruning peaches it must be 

 borne in mind that the fi'uit comes on the young wood, so that a fair 

 supply of wood of the previous season's growth should be left to 

 furnish a crop of fi'uit. Trees that have reached the full bearing 

 stage, in addition to the shortening and thinning out of the branches, 

 should have the fruit spurs regulated, by a judicious thinning and 

 shortening back of the fruit spurs. It is a matter of complaint, with 

 many orchardists, that some of their old trees, although they produce 

 a heavy crop of bloom, fail to set their fruit, this is caused by the tree 

 exhausting itself in blooming, and not having sufficient strength left 

 to set a crop of fruit. One of the greatest oifenders in this respect is 

 the Winter Nelis pear, when old this variety becomes very thickly set 

 with fruit spurs which bloom very profusely, then drop without setting 

 any fi"uit ; but if half, or two-thirds of the fruit spurs had been cut 

 off, the bloom would have been stronger and a fair crop of fruit would 

 have set. 



If orchardists would carry out the above instructions with some of 

 their old and unfi'uitful trees, the result would be a revelation to 

 them. 



