584 THE PEACTl. 



full of small bearing brand es, and well garnished with h^avos. It mivA 



be borne in mind that tbo fniit is 

 only borne on the young shoots ol 

 the i>revious summer's gi'owth. In a 

 young tree these are properly distri- 

 buted throughoiit. But in a couple oi 

 seasons, the tree being left to itself, 

 the gi'owtli being mostly produced at 

 the ends of the principal Ijranches, the 

 young shoots in the interior of the 

 head of the tree die out. The conse- 

 quence is, that in a sliort time the 

 A peach-tree without pmning, as com- interior of tlie tree is filled with long 

 moniy seen. lean branches, with only young shoots 



at their extremities. Any one can 

 see that such a tree can be provided with but half the number of 

 healthy, strong shoots for bearing, that one would have if tilled through- 

 out with vigorous young wood. The sap flows tardily through the 

 long and rigid branches, and not half leaves enough ai'e provided to 

 secure the proper gi-owth of the fruit. And, finally, all the fruit which 

 the tree yields being allowed to remain at the ends of the branches, they 

 often break under its weight. 



Now, we propose to substitute for this what is generally known as 

 the shortening-in system of pruning. We affirm, both from its constant 

 success abroad, and from our own experience and observation in this 

 country, that, putting its two diseases out of the question, tlie peach may 

 be continued in full vigor and production, in any good soil, for from ten 

 to thii'ty years. 



Let us take a healthy tree in the orchard or gai-den, in its first blos- 

 soming year. It is usually about six to eight feet higli, its well-shaped 

 head branching out about three feet * from the gi-ound. It has never yet 

 been trimmed, except to regulate any deformity in its shape, and this is 

 so much the better. 



At the end of February, or as eai'ly in the spring as may be, we com- 

 mence pruning. This consists only of sharteninff-iii, i.e., cutting oft' half 

 the last yearns growtli over the whole outside of the head of the tree, 

 and also upon the inner branches. As the usual average gi'owth is from 

 one to two feet, we shall necessarily take oft' from six to twelve inches. 

 It need not be done with precise measurement ; indeed, the strongest 

 shoots should be shortened back most, in order to bring up the others, 

 and any long or projecting limbs that destroy the balance of the head 

 should be cut back to a xmiform length. This brings the tree into a 

 well-rounded shape. By i*educing the young wood one-half, we at the 

 same moment reduce the coming crop one-half in number. The remain- 

 ing half, receiving all the sustenance of the tree, are of double the size. 

 The young shoots, which start out abundantly from every part of the 

 tree, keep it well sup2)lied with bearing wood for the next year, while 

 the greater luxuriance and size of the foliage, as a necessary conse- 

 quence, produces larger and higher flavored fruit.f Thus, while we have 



* We think loio heads much preferable to high ones on many accounts. They 

 shade the root, and are more within reach both for jiruning- and gathering-. 



f It is well, in shortening-liack, to out off the shoot close above a irood-hud 

 rather than a blossom-bud. Few persons are aware how much the size and 



