424 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Nectarine continued . 



which grows from the bud the first season. When 

 intended for fan training, it is planted either against a 

 wall or in the open ground, as in nurseries, where tem- 

 porary stakes are inserted, on which to eventually train 

 the branches. In the autumn, it should be cut hard 

 back to within about three eyes of the place where the 

 bud was inserted. Shoots from two of these eyes should 

 be encouraged to grow, one on either side of the stem, 

 and, if they succeed with equal vigour, the other will 

 not be required. The flow of sap may be checked 

 eventually, should there be a tendency on the part of 

 one leading branch to grow stronger than another, by 

 merely bending the point down, or bringing it into a more 

 horizontal direction. At the same time, the weaker one 

 should be brought more upright, and an opposite effect 

 will be the result. Other shoots, which are intended 

 to form leading branches, will, in due course, be 

 obtained from the base of those already referred to, 

 a. 



FIG. 657. NECTARINE AND PEACH 



showing (A) Single, (B) Double, and (C) Triple 

 represent Wood- buds ; 6, b, b, Blosaom-buds. 



Branch of Ripened Wood, 

 Buds, a, a, a 



and these should also be disposed so as to balance the 

 head as evenly as possible. The centres of young trees 

 should be kept clear; it is never difficult to get them 

 filled at almost any time, when the branches that are 

 required to be at an angle are properly established. A 

 central shoot, allowed to grow upright, would, in any 

 case, be certain to grow too stong. Winter pruning 

 of Peach and Nectarine-trees may be practised, in 

 favourable weather, at any time when the leaves 

 are off, but before the buds expand in spring, and 

 training may follow immediately after. The leading 

 branches should first be placed in position, and secured, 

 the subsidiary ones being arranged afterwards. Expe- 

 rienced cultivators remove weak and misplaced branches 

 at almost any season, when it is seen they are not 

 likely to be of use for fruit-bearing, and train new and 

 betber shoots to take the places of those removed. This 



Nectarine continued. 



may be practised more especially so soon as it is certain 

 the fruits are set, and the strongest amd best-placed 

 ones can be selected for bearing. Disbudding is annually 

 of great importance in Peach and Nectarine culture, the 

 number of new shoots which appear in spring being ten- 

 fold more than can be accommodated with space. A 

 further reference will be made to this when treating of 

 trees grown under glass. 



Cordon training possesses advantages in many respects 

 over the fan method, as it is much easier of accomplish- 

 ment, a wall may be covered in a much shorter time, 

 and a larger number of trees, and, consequently, of 

 distinct varieties, may be planted in a given space. 

 Single cordons, trained in an oblique direction, repre- 

 sent the system usually practised in this style with the 

 Peach and Nectarine ; they may be planted as near as 

 2ft. apart. Maiden trees, if well ripened, need not be 

 cut back very much, if they are furnished with lateral 

 side shoots throughout, and a good wood-bud is present 

 for shortening to. These laterals should be regulated 

 as equally as possible, on either side of the leader, and 

 be nailed in : the leader must be specially attended 

 to, until its limit is reached. It should, meanwhile, 

 be pinched once or twice during the season, so as to 

 encourage plenty of side shoots, any of which, if not 

 required, may have their points pinched out. All the 

 wood made by established trees on the cordon system, 

 should be intended for fruit-bearing ; and, if new shoots 

 are encouraged from the base of the laterals each year, 

 and receive proper attention, by exposure to light, and 

 stopping them from the top of the tree downwards, as 

 they reach their limit, nearly all the old laterals may 

 be taken off, after the fruit is gathered, immediately 

 above the place whence the new ones proceed. 



The foregoing are somewhat general remarks respecting 

 the pruning and training of Peach and Nectarine-trees 

 work which is amongst the most important in gardening 

 operations, and which, moreover, the most lengthy and 

 minute details in books would but imperfectly teach. 

 There are few subjects amongst fruit-trees that require 

 such frequent and timely attention, especially under 

 glass ; and, if cultural success would be attained, these 

 operations must be conducted only by persons who are 

 fully acquainted with what is conducive to that end, and 

 are capable of exercising forethought and discretion, 

 which, in this case, must be the outcome of personal 

 experience in performing or assisting with the work. 



Cultivation under Glass. There are few gardens 

 where fruit-trees of any description are forced, and 

 the Peach and Nectarine not included. Next to the 

 Vine, their fruits are, in general, the most important ; 

 and, if forcing is not resorted to, the trees ripen crops 

 under glass at any season that are far superior to 

 those secured from outside. In the northerly and un- 

 favourable parts of the country, too, glass protection 

 becomes a necessity in order to get fruits to ripen at 

 all. This is sometimes provided in the shape of what 

 are termed glass cases. They consist of upright 

 sashes placed at a sufficient distance only from wall 

 trees to allow of the latter being attended to. The 

 sashes are sometimes made movable, by being placed on 

 rollers at the base, and the portion of roof which 

 connects their tops with the wall should be provided 

 with ventilators. Trees grown under glass are usually 

 trained to a wire trellis represented by the dotted line 

 in Pig. 658 either fixed or movable, and situated about 

 a foot from the roof. They are also sometimes trained 

 to the back wall ; and a combination of both systems 

 may be practised, by limiting the top growth of those 

 at the front part of the house, and planting trees with 

 tall stems at the back. Peach and Nectarine-trees lift 

 readily in autumn, even when of large size, if care is 

 taken in the operation; consequently, it is a good plan 



