Oc(obcr 31, 1866. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



365 



For oimilar reasons, after many experiments, I think that 

 prunini'to three loaves as soon as six are formed (which style I 

 advocated in " Cordon Ti'aiuinR," imhlished five years ago), 

 althoiiRh ail admirable system for trees under gliiss, is not, on 

 the whole, sullicioiitly Iour to meet all the accidents and risks 

 that the Peach has to undergo. 



IVuning to six or eight leaves, provided care iras taken to 

 insaro the early formation of the fruit-buds on the lowest 

 portions of the shoot, by cutting back below the point of the 

 first stopping in time, as described in No. 1.*), is a valuable 

 system for some localities ; forerights to bo closely jiindied 

 in, and short spurs preserved. This is a mixed system ; but I 

 have now no doubt that the safest, the most prolitable, and the 

 simplest way is to make the first summer-stopping of the 

 shoots at four leaves, as soon as at least six full-sized leaves 

 are developed. These four good leaves will each have a bud or 

 buds in their axils, and tliere is now length enough in this 

 shoot to satisfy any pruner ; for if these four buds are not to 

 bear, where does the long-pnmer expect his fruit to be? And 

 if they are to hear, what need is there of more growth beyond 

 them than is sullicieut, as in the Vine, to nourisli the fruit ? 



Thetirststopi)ingof the shoots, then, is at four full-sized leaves. 

 The smaller leaves at the base, having no buds now in their 

 axils, do not count. Of the four leaves left, some of the upper 

 buds will burst into second growths, and the lower ones will be 

 constituted. These shoots not being tied in, we may suppose 

 that one or two of the upper-buds will thus burst. If the shoot 

 be on the under side of the branch, or on the upper side and 

 tied in, only the point-bud will burst. As soon as the second 

 growth has made four leaves, it should be reduced to two. If, 

 by the time this second stopping to two leaves takes place, the 

 lowest buds on the shoot, having had most of the sap, appear 

 full, prominent, and formed (which one or two seasons' ex- 

 perience will enable any one to be a judge of), then let the third 

 growth be reduced to one leaf as soon as two appear, and any 



further autumnal growth may be allowed to make several 

 more inches, according as it is desired to strengthen the tree, 

 after any casualty. If, on the other hand, at the time of re- 

 gulating the second growth the pruner's experience shall have 

 taught him that the lower buds are not progressing well, then 

 let him cut below the point of junction of the lirst and of the 

 second growths. The object is to concentrate anew the summer 

 sap at the lower buds, so as to develope them, without causing 

 them aljsolutcly to burst. This is almost sure to succeed. 

 Should, however, the buds not become foi-med, then the pruner 

 would be justified in cutting right down to the lower two buds, 

 because the shoot is of little value, ami the worst that could 

 then happen would be to cause the bud to break, and the shoot 

 would then have to be cut in vei-y closely at the winter pruning. 



Wo suiipose that the two upper buds Inirst. In this case the 

 buds at the junction, and those on the second growth, are very 

 valuable. In the orchard-house these are certain fruit-bearers, 

 and out of doors they may also be generally relied on, being 

 formed so early in the season. It only the extreme or point- 

 bud burst, then the lower three will give ample chances of 

 fruit. In any case we have both the junction-buds and tho 

 ordinary triple groups of long pruning to depend on, thus 

 uniting every chance. 



There should always he at least two shoots on each spur. 

 The object is to prune them alternately, as fruit and wood 

 bearers. One of these, the most promising, is left long to bear. 

 It is cut above the junction-buds, because, as a rule, we must 

 not cut too near to the group which is to bear, and at the junc- 

 tion are several wood-buds. The other shoot on the .spur is cut 

 rather closely in, but not so as to sacrifice some well-placed 

 gioups. It is cut, however, quite near to the point whence the 

 new succession shoots are to appear. 



In time a certain number of shoots will spring from each 

 spur. Of these we leave the best long to bear, and the others 

 are cut in closely for succession wood. Of the bearing shoots 



Fig. 19. 



— say two, one is left longer than the other, and, if desired, 

 tied in. This is to economise the wall. One shoot having 

 two or three good buds is really enough in practice to secure 

 succession shoots. In the orchard-house we preserve all we 

 can. In the open air forerights are preferably removed at the 

 winter pruning, but there need be few, because such shoots as 

 show this disposition could be very closely stopped to two 

 leaves, and so become short spius. 



Young trees under this system, should only have their first 

 year's shoots equaUsed at 6 or 8 inches. At the first winter's 

 pruning these shoots should be cut in to two good eyes, thus 

 forming a short shoot, which eventually becomes the spur. 

 The next summer each of these two buds puts forth a shoot, 

 which is then ready to be manipulated to four leaves, to two, 

 and to one leaf. 



Beyond equaUsing the branches, and directing them into the 

 proposed shape, no further shortening of the branches takes 

 place. Blank spaces are fiUed in by grafting by herbaceous 

 approach, or by budding. 



Under long pruning the leading branches were excessively 

 shortened, thus throwing the shoots out into corresponding 

 length. The modern style, on the contrary, allows the branches 



to remain at f uU length, merely supressing any rampant growth, 

 and equalising all the parts, while the shoots are closely pruned 

 to concentrate the sap instead of dispersing it. To closely 

 prune the shoots, and, at the same time, reduce the length of 

 the leading branches, would be to dwarf the tree ; but to allow 

 the growth to take place only where it is required, is evidently 

 the natural way. Any form of tree flourishes when thus treated 

 for it is a return to first principles. 



Fiq. IK represents the system I have been describing. This 

 is the autumn appearance of the two shoots s])ringuig from the 

 central spur. In this figure it is easy to distinguish how the 

 four leaves of the first summer stopping have fared. In either 

 shoot only the point-bud has made a second growth, which has 

 been stopped to two leaves, and a third growth, which has been 

 stopped at one more leaf. The junction-buds (where the point- 

 bud biustj appear full and healthy. One of them, in the right 

 shoot, even shows a disposition to become a cluster-spur. This 

 reveals to us the secret of the original theory. The small 

 leaves at the base of either shoot are not counted in the four. 

 This beautiful specimen was carefully di'awu from nature, and 

 is a perfect illustration of the theory advanced. 



Fig. 19 represents the winter pruning of these shoots. A is 



