NAT. ORDER. — A.MYDALACE.E. 115 



some part of tlie former bearers of tlie two preceding year.>; ; cut- 

 ting llie most uaUod cpiite away ami otiiers down to tlie most eligible 

 younger branch or well-|)laced shoot. Also take out all diseased and 

 dead wood, retaining ground where necessary to fdl a vacuity. In 

 cold and late situations, some recommend a niodeof pruning adapted 

 to obtain fruit-bearing spurs on the Peach, and these spurs are foiu)d 

 to be best calculated in such situations and late seasons to generate 

 well organized and vigorous blossoms. Instead of taking ofl" so large 

 a portion of the young shoots, and training in a few only, to a con- 

 siderable length, as is u.sually done, and as I should do myself, to a 

 considerable extent, say, in New Jersey and other favorable situa- 

 tions I should preserve a large number of young shoots, which are 

 emitted in a proper direction, in early spring, by the yearling wood, 

 shortening each where necessary by pinching oflf the minute succu- 

 lent points, generally to the length of one or two inches. Spurs 

 wiiich lie clo.se to the wall are thus made, upon which numerous 

 blossom-buds form very early in the ensuing summer. It is only in 

 cold and late situations that the mode of tnana<iement above su"-- 

 gested is recommended. The spurs must not be shortened in the 

 winter or spring, till it can be ascertained what parts of them are 

 provided with leaf-buds. The chief rule which is recommended to 

 follow is, never to allow the shoots that are left for bearing fruit to 

 run to any length from the strong wood, for which reason, when the 

 trees are pruned in autumn, the bearing branches for the next year 

 are shortened, taking care not to leave more fruiting-buds than will 

 be thought to come to perfection. 



Training. The Peach is almost universally trained in the fan- 

 manner, either straight-lined or wavy, though some contend that it 

 bears better in rich soils, when two leading branches are encouraged, 

 and the bearing shoots trained outwards from these, so as to form a 

 sort of horizontal trainin<r. 



Thinninq the fruit. In favorable seasons the blos.soms often set 

 more fruit than the trees can support, or than liave room to attain 



