Jnly 4, 1865. :i 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



n 



THE MODERN PEACH-PllUNEK 



I,()N(i PKUNINW. 



-No. lu 



TnnnK are various methods of pruning tlu; I'i'acli wliicli can 

 ho c:las.se(l iinilnr tho head of "lou;;;" but it is iimiecessary 

 )ioro to ilhistrate more than one, which may Iji^ taken as a Rood 

 specimen of tliis method. It is not more eomiilicated iu prac- 

 tice than the otlicrs, which are founded on tlie annual supply 

 of youuR liranchos. 



In tliis method the shoots spring! from spurs which are cal- 

 culated to last several years, and which are renewed whenever 

 a new shoot spriuRs conveniently from the base of the spur. A 

 Rood succession of younR wood is obtainable in this way. 



All modern experience tends to show that systems founded 

 on any considerable annual cutting-out of branches, however 

 small those branches, must end in causing disease in the Peach 

 tree. There is not, in reality, any good reason for this dan- 

 gerous practice, which has already caused so much loss ; far 



frum this, the day seems nt liauci wlien b luling branches will 

 not be shortened at all, and the chief pnmint; of the tree will 

 bo effected by the summer-stoppini; of the shoots, iiUowinga 

 comparatively small amount of rej^ulutinii for the winter season, 



\Vhcu these ideas are fully carried out, the clitlionlty of Peach 

 pruning will become small, -nd theory iPiid practice will agree 

 more fully together. 



It is necessary now to go back a little, and renjember that 

 our young tree is su;iposed to have made a certain growth 

 during the summer next after its being planted. Man> pruners, 

 at the winter season, shorten this growth inndi' by the leading 

 branches by one-third ; the reason they give is, that the lowest 

 third part of each branch frequently fails to develope its buds. 

 This is, however, but a vtsionnvy fear, if the roots do their 

 duty. 



Fiji. 11. — Tliu'tl Summer Pruniug. 



The next summer all the branches will extend freely, and 

 tlie buds upon them will begin to develope themselves. The 

 buds situated on the lowest third portion of each leading 

 Ijraneh not receiving, especially if placed on the under side, 

 much sap, will generally not extend much, and if the season be 

 very favourable, some will become converted into cluster-spurs 

 (class 5). These must, therefore, be retained untouched. Their 

 character is discernible by May. Shoitld they extend more 

 freely they will pass out of class 5, and become rather slender 

 shoots, and should not be stopped at all, not being iua position 

 to become gross shoots (class 4). The buds situated on the 

 central third portion of each branch will extend freely, and be 



ri^'. 1"J. — Winter Pruning'. 



the principal fruit-bearers of classes 2 and 3. They should be 

 stopped at 12 inches as soon as they have made 1,5 inches of 

 growth, and be lightly tied-in during the season of growth, at 

 regular intervals, and at nearly the same angle as the branch. 

 The buds situated on the upper third portion of the branch 

 should be treated in the same manner ; and should any exhibit 

 the appearance of becoming gross shoots, of class 4, thej 

 should be cut down at once to two eyes, from which one new 

 shoot is to be selected (the l>est-placed, and the weakest) to fill 

 up the vacant place. This will be a shoot of a valueless 

 character, long between the joints, and of class 1 ; but it cannot 

 be avoided. 



Fig. 13. — Fuurlli Summer Pruning. 



The extension, or new growth, of each leading branch must 

 be allowed to develope freely. Care must be taken to guide 

 these branches in the proper direction, by means of light rods, 

 and none of them should ever be lowered into the place it is 

 destined eventually to fill, until it be well constituted, and iu 

 good balance with the corresponding branch of the other side. 

 This is done by raising or depressing, according to circum- 

 stances. As no fruit is expected at this stage, blossom-buds 

 may be rubbed off. Should any of the wood-buds be seen to be 

 double, and to put forth two shoots, some little discernment 

 may here be required to select the proper one, and to do so at 

 the right time. Passing over the shoots of the lowest third of 

 each branch, which are not troublesome, of those placed higher 

 up the shoots nearest to the wall must be selected, and the 

 outer ones removed, whether on the upper or lower sides of 

 the branch. But, on the upper third portion, which receives 

 abimdant sap, all the weaker shoots should be selected for 

 fruit-bearers, no matter where placed. 



At the winter pruning of this the second year, should any 

 cluster-spurs appear, one or two may be selected to bear the 

 third season's fruit — that is, if it be so desired, because the 



1 i^'. 14, — Fourth Winter Pruuiug. 



tree is yet very young to bear. All the other .shoots should 

 now be cut back to two good eyes. The leading branches in 

 this style of pruning are now shortened by, say, one-fifth. To 

 shorten more would be to throw the tree into inconveniently 

 long lateral growth, requiring much interval between the 

 branches. Of course, this interval varies with the style of 

 ])runing. Twenty inches is considered a moderate interval. 



At the spring of the ensuing, or third season, the tree will 

 have acquired certain proportions and form, and the shoots 

 shortened last winter to two eyes will each speedily develope 

 two new shoots, which shoots must now be carefully attended 

 to, as destined to bear a moderate croji of fruit in the fourth 

 season. We come thus to consider the branches and shoots as 

 they appear at the third season. 



The two shoots during this summer will gradually assnme 

 the appearance indicated in «;/. 11. They are there named re- 

 spectively A and !!, as being the two original shoots proceeding 

 from the spur k. If we keep to this nomenclature it will avoid 

 confusion. No doubt the term " spur "' is the most appro- 

 priate here, and has been received as such before by reviewers 

 of cordon training. Spur is the correct rendering of the 



