46 



is forced out one can part with just as much as one considers 

 desirable, leaving such shoots as will most evenly distribute- the 

 fruit over the entire bearing-surface of the tree. 



In taking the tree after its second season's growth, one will 

 probably find a fair number of double and treble buds on the 

 shoots thrown out, which are the fruit-yielding buds, as the 

 peach is a very precocious bearer, carrying a crop in its third 

 year. The system to be pursued at this pruning and at every 

 subsequent annual one is the same, a more or less severe cutting- 

 back, and thinning-out, and a glance at each individual tree will 

 show where the fruit for the coming season is b^ing carried. 



Should the tree be w r hat is called well set to fruit, a greater 

 amount of cutting clean away can be done. If the fruit is being 

 carried near the base of the new growth, the shortening-in must 

 be heavy, cutting away about three quarters. Should the tree 

 make a poor show for fruit, more wood must be left ; and if the 

 fruit is carried near the ends of the new growth, very little 

 shortening-in must be done, but a heavier course of thinning-oat. 



Taking an average tree, fairly set to fruit, the new growth 

 retained must be shortened-in to one-hslf of its former length, 

 and this wood must be spread over each individual branch, by 

 cutting out usually the most upright and central growth. It must 

 be remembered that this central and strongest growth, is as a rule, 

 the most unsatisfactory for bearing. Examine your branches and 

 you will often see that you can cut away this strong growth, and 

 retain a couple of thinner and thoroughly ripened bearing shoots 

 below, thus bringing the tree two feet or three feet lower at a cut, 

 and at the same time retaining the best bearing wood. We may 

 say that one can cut into the old wood of a peach tree with 

 impunity, and we should frequently do it should we have desirable 

 bearing wood below, in order to bring the tree down. What one 

 has to remember in cutting is to spread the shoots one wishes to 

 retain, by cutting out the centre. It is not advisable to cut clean 

 .away well-ripened wood thrown out from the main limbs, but 

 shorten them in, and they will carry fruit of an excellent quality 

 safely. At the same time there are very frequently thrown out a 

 number of sappy unripened shoots in the centre of the tree 

 where the sun has had no opportunity of playing ; these should 

 be in every instance cut clean away. 



1900. We have no objection to the directions given above, but 

 advise growers to modify the whole system by not cutting so 

 heavily, our reason being that on getting knowledge covering a 

 more lengthy period of years, we are satisfied that peaches in 

 most varieties grown are a more or less uncertain crop ; there is 

 invariably a heavy drop of fruit resulting generally in a light 

 rop ; we prefer now to prune less heavily and to thin thoroughly ; if 

 too heavy a crop sets in this way, a regular crop of peaches can be 

 almost relied upon. Also we wish to draw growers' attention to 

 the absolute safety of doing one's cutting back, especially in 

 peaches and Japanese plums, after the fruit has set ; we have tried 

 it several years and can recommend it with confidence. 



